Medical Radiography — also often referred to as radiology — is a broad term within the health care field that encompasses several different types of diagnostic imaging techniques that utilize ionizing and non-ionizing radiation to view inside the human body. Most often you’ll think of it as synonymous with X-rays, also known as projectional radiography. Other medical radiography procedures include computed tomography (CT) scans, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans, fluoroscopy, and more. Radiography is used to assess and diagnose issues all over the body: A hard-tissue X-ray can be used to look at bone fractures, bone conditions like osteoarthritis or osteosarcoma, and growth studies. Soft-tissue X-rays can be used to look for tell-tale “shadows” in the lungs, heart, bowl, neck and skull. CT scans are a vital tool used for detecting strokes, tumors, edemas, emphysema, coronary artery disease, Crohn’s and other abdominal diseases, and more. DEXA scans are a key tool in studying bone density. Radiography technologists are trained in the safe operation of all these types of diagnostic equipment, responsible for adjusting and maintaining the machines, preparing patients for the procedure, ensuring that the correct areas of the body have been imaged clearly, updating their findings in the patient’s records, and coordinating with physicians and other members of the health care team in assessment and diagnosis.