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Diagnostic & Analytics$75,000 - $115,000+ (with travel / specialized MRI)
Radiologic Technologist (MRI / CT)
Calibrates multi-million dollar 3T MRI and CT scanners to visualize hidden tissue tears, stroke ischemia, and aneurysms.
Min Degree
Associate
Years Post-HS
2 Years
Patient Contact
Procedural Only
Setting
Advanced Imaging Suites, Trauma Bays, Outpatient Diagnostic Centers
The PrePro Hidden Gem Factor
Can be entered with a 2-year Associate degree, allows working with cutting-edge physics and superconductivity, and has high-paying travel tech options.
Clinical Role Overview
Physicians order imaging, but radiologic technologists position the patient, calculate radiofrequency pulse sequences, gate scans with the patient's heartbeat, and time intravenous contrast dye down to the exact second to capture aneurysms without movement blur.
A Day in the Life (Hospital Shift Chronology)
07:00 - Cryogen check and RF coil calibration on the 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner
08:15 - Screening patient for ferromagnetic metal implants and pacemaker safety
09:30 - Running diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequence for an acute stroke emergency
11:00 - Timing IV gadolinium injection to reconstruct a 3D circle of Willis angiogram
14:00 - Coaching claustrophobic pediatric patient through an orthopedic knee scan
Core Clinical Tools & Hardware
- 3T MRI Scanner
- Multi-Detector CT Console
- RF Surface Coils
- Automated Power Injectors
- PACS Image Viewing Workstations
Educational Prerequisites
- Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology (2 years)
- ARRT Certification in Radiography
- Post-primary certification in MRI or CT