Radiology Providers: Types and Specializations
June 5, 2026
Radiology is the medical specialty that uses imaging technologies — X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and fluoroscopy — to diagnose and treat disease. Radiologists are physicians who interpret these images, while a subset (interventional radiologists) also perform minimally invasive procedures guided by imaging.
Diagnostic Radiology
Diagnostic radiologists interpret medical images ordered by other physicians. A CT scan you have in the emergency department, an MRI for back pain, or a mammogram — all are read by a diagnostic radiologist who produces the report that guides your treating physician's decisions. Most patients never meet their radiologist directly.
Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiologists use imaging guidance to perform minimally invasive procedures — biopsy, drain placement, vascular access, tumor ablation, embolization, and more. These procedures often replace more invasive open surgeries. Interventional radiologists do interact directly with patients and are an important part of procedural care teams.
Other Radiology Subspecialties
The field also includes nuclear medicine (radioactive tracers for diagnosis and therapy), radiation oncology (treating cancer with radiation — a separate specialty from diagnostic radiology), and neuroradiology, musculoskeletal radiology, and breast imaging (mammography). Browse radiology providers through the specialty index to explore the full taxonomy.