In 1981, Congress passed the Consumer-Patient Radiation Health and Safety Act, which aims to protect the public from the hazards of unnecessary exposure to medical and dental radiation by ensuring operators of radiologic equipment are properly trained. Under the act, the Federal Government sets voluntary standards that the States, in turn, may use for accrediting training programs and certifying individuals who engage in medical or dental radiography. Because ultrasound does not use ionizing radiation, sonographers are excluded from this act. No State requires sonographers to be licensed. To be eligible for registration, technologists generally must graduate from an accredited program and pass an examination.
Many employers prefer to hire registered radiographers and sonographers.
With experience and additional training, staff technologists may become specialists, performing CT scanning, angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Depending on the institution, courses or a master's degree in business or health administration may be necessary for the director's position. Radiographers must complete 24 hours of continuing education every other year and provide documentation to prove they have complied with these requirements. Sonographers must complete 30 hours of continuing education every 3 years. Although physicians are enthusiastic about the clinical benefits of new technologies, the extent to which they are adopted depends largely on cost and reimbursement considerations.