Radiology is Becoming a Super-Specialized Field

It is definitely true that radiology is a specialized area of medicine that requires advanced study and focus. However, it can be argued that the study of radiology thirty or forty years ago was a whole lot simpler than it is today. This is due to the fact that advanced imaging technologies are making the field more and more complex for doctors. In fact, the field is becoming a field made of a number of subspecialties rather than being just a single specialty itself. Some doctors are recommending that radiologists work on specializing in one of these subcategories of the field. There are large error rates being reported in some studies of imaging techniques and it is believed that this is caused by the fact that radiologists are trying to learn too many different techniques and equipment types. It is further believed that a more narrow focus by radiologists would reduce the percentage of errors in the field. It is a good thing that the field of medical imaging has become so complex. It means that we can see more and learn more about the body in order to improve the detection and treatment of many types of disease. However, changes may need to take place within the field itself in order to maximize the results of this advance in technology. Question of the Day: Should radiologists each focus on one specific type of medical imaging? photo link