Short answers, pulled from the story.
Radiology is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography but now includes ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine.
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays on the 8th of November 1895 and received the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for the discovery. Radiology began with radiography, the technique of transmitting X-rays through a patient, which is why its name refers to radiation.
Radiology uses projection radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine including PET. Ultrasonography and MRI use no ionizing radiation, while CT, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine do.
Interventional radiology is a subspecialty in which minimally invasive procedures are performed using image guidance from radiographic images, fluoroscopy, and ultrasound. Procedures are often done with the patient fully awake, treating conditions such as peripheral vascular disease, renal artery stenosis, and biliary blockages using specialized needles and catheters.
A diagnostic radiologist in the United States completes undergraduate education, four years of medical school for a D.O. or M.D., one year of internship, and four years of residency, followed by one or two years of fellowship. Board certification from the American Board of Radiology requires passing the Core Exam after 36 months of residency and the Certification Exam 15 months after residency.
Teleradiology is the transmission of radiographic images from one location to another for interpretation by a trained professional, usually a radiologist. It is most often used for rapid after-hours interpretation, sending images across time zones to places such as Spain, Australia, and India, and requires a sending station, a high-speed internet connection, and a high-quality receiving station.
Plain radiography remains a common first-line tool because of its broad availability, speed, and relatively low cost. It is still helpful in diagnosing arthritis, pneumonia, bone tumors, fractures, congenital skeletal anomalies, and certain types of kidney stones.