Radiographer vs Radiologist: Who Does What

A radiographer is the healthcare professional who carries out your scan: they check you can safely have it, position you, run the equipment and make sure the images are good enough to answer the clinical question. A radiologist is a medical doctor who has specialised in imaging. Radiologists interpret images, advise on which test is most appropriate and carry out image-guided procedures.

Most people having a scan meet the radiographer and never meet the radiologist. That is normal. This guide explains what each role involves, how each is regulated in the UK, and the questions worth asking a private clinic about who will look at your images.

What a diagnostic radiographer does

NHS Health Careers describes diagnostic radiography as using advanced technology to look inside patients' bodies to understand the causes of illness, and consulting with colleagues on diagnosis and treatment plans. In practice, the radiographer is the person you deal with at the appointment.

Before the scan they confirm who you are and why you are being scanned, check for anything that affects safety, such as pregnancy before an X-ray or CT, or metal implants before an MRI, and explain what will happen. During the scan they position you, operate the scanner and judge whether the pictures are adequate. For tests that use ionising radiation, they work within the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, which require every exposure to be justified and kept as low as reasonably practicable.

How radiographers are regulated

Radiographer is a title protected by law in the UK. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) lists radiographers among the professions it regulates, and anyone using the title must be on the HCPC Register. You can check a radiographer's registration on the HCPC website.

What a radiologist does

NHS Health Careers describes clinical radiologists as doctors who use images to diagnose, treat and manage medical conditions. They consider the patient's anatomy, history and previous images to select the most appropriate technique, while keeping radiation exposure to a minimum, and they work closely with radiographers as part of a wider team.

Radiologists use X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI and other techniques. Some specialise in interventional radiology, using imaging to guide treatments such as opening blocked arteries with a balloon or stent, taking needle biopsies or stopping internal bleeding. Their training starts with medical school and the foundation programme, followed by specialty training in radiology.

Who writes your report

After the scan, your images are reported by an appropriately qualified clinician. The report goes to whoever referred you, who then explains what it means for you. Because reporting arrangements differ between clinics and between types of scan, the simplest approach is to ask the clinic who will report your scan and how long the report usually takes.

Our guide to how long scan results take explains what happens to your images after you leave and why some reports take longer than others.

Other people you might meet

Ultrasound scans are often carried out by a sonographer, a professional trained specifically in ultrasound, and some are performed by doctors. In larger departments you may also meet assistant practitioners or radiology support staff who help with preparation and patient care. Whoever you meet, it is reasonable to ask their role.

Questions to ask a private clinic

• Who will carry out the scan, and are they HCPC-registered?
• Who will report the images, and roughly how long does the report take?
• Will the report go to me, to my referrer, or to both?
• If something needs attention, how will I or my referrer be told?

Clinics listed on FindScan publish the price they charge for each scan and we show it as the clinic sets it. You can search clinics by location and ask these questions in your enquiry. If you are still deciding which scan you need, MRI vs CT and ultrasound vs MRI are good places to start.