What is a Radiologist?
Dr. Ryan Leonen using 2D ultrasound to evaluate a patient’s thyroid gland.
You have an internist, a pediatrician, an OB/GYN, a cardiologist, and a gastroenterologist. Some of you may have a neurologist or rheumatologist. You had a surgeon for that procedure years ago.
Did you know you also have a Radiologist?
Most patients never see their Radiologists. But if you’ve ever had an x-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, barium study, mammogram, or nuclear medicine study, you have a Radiologist.
Radiologists are specialized doctors who have completed:
- 4 years of medical school
- 1 year of internship in medicine or surgery
- 4 years of radiology residency training
- 1-2 years of super-specialized fellowship training
Radiologists determine the most appropriate imaging test for your symptoms and optimize the scanning protocols to maximize image quality while minimizing radiation. These imaging scans allow for quick, accurate, and non-invasive diagnosis of your ailments. In some cases, a final diagnosis cannot be made, but the imaging can direct further medical evaluation.
Radiologists are the experts in the interpretation of imaging scans. Unlike a simple lab test, radiology is as much an art as a science. It takes great skill and experience to detect and accurately characterize abnormalities. As a result, your choice of a Radiologist makes a big difference to your care. At Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg (RAF), we have superb university-quality Radiologists. All of our Radiologists have completed subspecialty training at leading regional and national medical centers including UVA, MCV, University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Baylor, Washington University St. Louis, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Mayo Clinic.
Our Interventional Radiologists also provide minimally invasive procedures and treatments that help you avoid open surgery, allowing you to recover faster. Most of these procedures are outpatient, so you can go home the same day.
The Radiologists at RAF work closely with your local doctors as well as physicians at nearby universities. These physicians rely on RAF to help them obtain early and accurate diagnoses, select treatment options, and monitor response to treatment. We have great relationships with all of the doctors in this community and actively participate in interdisciplinary conferences.
Unlike other radiology practices, your care is never outsourced. RAF Radiologists are available 24/7.
We look forward to caring for you.