- Explain imaging procedures to the patient and answer questions
- Follow safety procedures to protect the patient and themselves from excessive radiation exposure
- Examine machines to make sure that they are safe and working properly
- Prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to the patient
- Monitor the patient to check for unusual reactions to drugs
- Operate equipment that creates images of areas in the body, such as images of organs
- Keep detailed records of procedures
This topic continues below:
Radioactive drugs, known as radiopharmaceuticals, give off radiation, allowing special scanners to monitor tissue and organ functions. Abnormal areas show higher-than-expected or lower-than-expected concentrations of radioactivity. Physicians then interpret the images to help diagnose the patient’s condition. For example, tumors can be seen in organs during a scan because of their concentration of the radioactive drugs.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition
