As a technologist when I hear “great shot” or “beautiful sunrise” I do not necessarily think about basketball or the sun coming up in the morning. We were having a conversation in our office a few days ago about kids saying the darnedest things and which quickly turned into “things you only hear in a radiology department”.

Think about it, where else can you hear, “you have a very photogenic uterus” or “turn off the lights, I can’t see” without raising a few eyebrows.  We in the wonderful world of radiology do have sayings that are all our own!

With this in mind, I did a poll with friends and family who are also technologists to get their “Rad Thoughts” or the things one would only say or hear or have been asked in a radiology department.  Here are some of the most popular:

1. Why is it so cold in here? Is it because of the radiation? (yeah, that’s it you caught us! Lol)
2. No, my arm isn’t broken, my doctor told me it is fractured.
3. But my last technician didn’t do my x-ray like that (& maybe this is why the technologist is doing it over correctly??!!)
4. Turn off the lights so I can see please.
5. Excuse me ma’am, I hate to interrupt your breakfast, but I am here to do your “stat” portable.
6. So, you fell on it??
7. Me:  Take in a deep breath and hold it. Patient: When? Now? Did you say deep breath, I hope not, I can’t do that…
8. Sir I’m sorry, but the gown is supposed to open in the back….
9. Do you have that new no compression machine I saw on Dr. Oz?
10. Me: Please lay down on your back. Patient: lays down on their stomach. Me: Let’s try this again
11. Me to the nurse:  Why is this ordered as a stat portable? Nurse: Oh, we forgot to put the order in this morning. Me:  Where is the patient? Nurse: Oh, I think they went downstairs to smoke (or to the cafeteria). Me: death stare…
12. It’s the only place I say, I’m going to need you to lift your belly up.
13. Back in the day, I had a patient when the ER doc told her she’d be having a fetal gram and she actually thought it meant that he would be sending a special type telegram about her baby. (Can you see Western Union showing up?)
14. As I explain we are going to do an ultrasound and start their echo exam, the 84-year-old patient asks if it is a boy or a girl? (yeahhhh, never heard that one before UGH!!)
15. I hate it when you are watching tv or a movie and the physician is talking about the x-ray and the films are hung wrong, the wrong exam, or anatomy is just cut off!

Other topics brought up were that only techs can talk about gray matter, poop, and blood at the lunch table without thinking twice about it.

Or how only another technologist would understand digging through trash or dirty linens after a code because you can’t find your marker!  Lastly there were

multiple comments on being called a nurse or because we wear scrubs, we are a nurse of some sort. We had a couple of submissions that while hilarious, they weren’t appropriate to publish.  

It brings us back to the point that in our chosen field, it might not always be unicorns and rainbows, but there is nothing else we would rather do!  There is always something in this crazy, wonderful world of radiology to make us smile.  After all, laughter is the best medicine!

If you would like to share your “Radiology Thoughts” comment below or send us an email at kreddix@aheconline.com