Job Check
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 02Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 03Perform procedures, such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy, or examinations of the head, trunk, or extremities under supervision of physician.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 04Record, process, and maintain patient data or treatment records and prepare reports.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 05Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.Mostly human for now
- 06Complete quality control activities, monitor equipment operation, and report malfunctioning equipment to supervisor.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 07Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.Mostly human for now
- 08Review and evaluate developed x-rays, video tape, or computer-generated information to determine if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 09Determine patients' x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 10Use radiation safety measures and protection devices to comply with government regulations and to ensure safety of patients and staff.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job lossToo little dataNot enough work use was seen to measure. This does not mean the job is safe from AI.Anthropic, 2026
38%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 31% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Above 64% of jobsin how much of this job’s physical work robots have been shown to do, from factories to homes (2026).Anthropic, 2026
Your human edge
The main tasks with no real AI use seen and no big speed-up expected. This is where your skill counts most today.
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
- Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.