How Does a Medical Imaging Worker Spend a Workday?

Equipment Care and Maintenance

Studies are performed in offices where the technician will work. These are often hospitals and other top-of-the-line clinics where the high-dollar equipment can be stored and maintained properly. Medical imagers work with equipment worth tens of millions of dollars, and they spend a large amount of time maintaining and caring for this equipment. The patients are carefully monitored to make sure all necessary rules for the particular imaging to be performed are followed. The technician then performs the procedure and stores the data as trained.

Customer Care

Caring for the patient is akin to customer service. The comfort of the patient during the procedure is paramount, not only for the well-being of the patient, but to keep from wasting time for re-imaging. Patients need to be in a position they can hold for the period of time required. They must be relaxed enough to hold still and make it through the entire procedure. This is in large part due to the friendliness and concern of the technician.

Data Storage and Transfer

Storing, maintaining and transferring images is a huge part of the technician's job. Images must be properly labeled according to company protocol, stored appropriately and transferred to reviewing physicians in a timely manner. Follow-ups must be scheduled and done promptly and re-shoots performed to the doctor's specifications. Lives can hang in the balance with the correct analysis of images, so the technician must be extremely dedicated to their proper storage and transfer.