Radiographic pathology is the cornerstone of competent and safe medical imaging. For a radiologic technologist, understanding how disease processes alter normal anatomy on a radiograph is not just an academic requirement—it is a critical clinical skill. Unlike radiologists who make final diagnoses, technologists must identify pathological findings to adjust technical factors, protect the patient from harm, and alert the interpreting physician to potential critical results.
A patient with emphysema (hyperlucent lungs) requires a lower mAs than a patient with pneumonia (consolidation). A patient with ascites (fluid in the abdomen) may need an increased kVp to penetrate the density. Without recognizing these pathologies, the technologist produces a non-diagnostic image, leading to repeat exposures and increased patient dose. radiographic pathology for technologistspdf top