Nivia Fontanez Highlights the Often-Overlooked Role of Radiology Technologists in Patient Care

Bronx-based radiology technologist Nivia Fontanez discusses the communication, preparation, positioning, safety, and attention to detail behind medical imaging.

BRONX, N.Y, 26th September 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, When patients arrive for an X-ray or CT scan, much of their attention naturally goes to the imaging equipment. Behind the technology, however, is a radiology technologist who guides the patient through the process and performs the study according to established procedures.

Bronx-based radiology technologist Nivia Fontanez believes patients may not always see the human side of the profession.

Fontanez works with X-rays, CT scans, and bone density studies. She holds a New York State radiologic technologist license and is qualified to administer contrast for CT studies. Her experience has shown her that medical imaging requires technical knowledge, but operating equipment is only one part of the technologist’s responsibilities.

“Patients see the machine because that is the most obvious part of the room, but there is a lot happening around it,” Fontanez said. “We are thinking about positioning, instructions, safety, and whether the patient understands what we need them to do.”

Positioning Requires Working With the Individual Patient

Positioning is one example of a responsibility that can appear simple from the patient’s perspective. A technologist may ask someone to stand in a certain place, turn their body, move an arm, or remain still while an image is captured.

In practice, patients have different physical abilities and limitations. Some may be experiencing pain or have difficulty moving into a standard position. Technologists must follow appropriate procedures while recognizing what an individual patient can reasonably do.

“You can know the position you need, but you’re still working with a real person,” Fontanez said. “Someone may be uncomfortable or unable to move exactly the way you initially ask. You have to pay attention and communicate.”

That interaction is one reason Fontanez views adaptability as an important part of working in medical imaging. Technical requirements remain important, but patients cannot be approached as though everyone will respond to an instruction in exactly the same way.

Clear Communication Helps Patients Understand What Is Expected

Communication is another significant part of the technologist’s role. Instructions that sound simple to someone working in radiology every day may be unfamiliar to a patient.

Fontanez believes healthcare professionals must be aware of that difference.

“Something can be routine for me and completely new for the patient,” Fontanez said. “I try not to assume that someone understands an instruction just because I’ve given that same instruction many times before.”

That may mean explaining a position differently, letting someone know what will happen next, or checking that an instruction was understood before continuing.

Fontanez also notes that different patients want different amounts of information. Some have questions about each step, while others prefer to receive the necessary instructions and complete the study. Recognizing those differences is part of working directly with people.

“The goal isn’t to overwhelm someone with technical information,” Fontanez said. “It’s to communicate clearly enough that they understand what is expected of them during the study.”

Safety and Attention to Detail Remain Central to Medical Imaging

Many checks in medical imaging are not particularly visible to patients. Technologists follow established procedures for patient identification, the requested study, positioning, imaging practices, and applicable safety requirements.

Certain studies may involve additional considerations. Fontanez’s work with CT imaging, for example, includes her qualification to administer contrast for CT studies.

Fontanez believes one challenge of professional experience is making sure familiarity doesn’t become complacency.

“When you do something regularly, you naturally become more comfortable with it, and experience is important,” she said. “At the same time, you don’t want something being familiar to make you less attentive to the details.”

Efficiency matters in a busy healthcare environment, but Fontanez says there are also situations when taking additional time to verify information or explain an instruction is necessary.

Technology Does Not Replace the Human Side of Radiology

Medical imaging relies heavily on sophisticated equipment, but Fontanez sees the technologist as the connection between that technology and the patient.

Equipment cannot recognize that a patient is struggling to understand an instruction. It cannot independently account for the way an individual is experiencing an appointment or provide the human communication that may be needed during the process.

That responsibility remains with the professionals working directly with patients.

“Technical knowledge matters, but you’re never just working with equipment,” Fontanez said. “There is always a person on the other side of what you’re doing.”

For Fontanez, that is one of the defining aspects of being a radiology technologist. The final medical image may be what remains after the appointment, but producing it involves preparation, communication, positioning, safety procedures, and attention to the individual patient.

Those responsibilities may happen quietly in the background, but they are part of the work every day.

About Nivia Fontanez

Nivia Fontanez is a radiology technologist based in the Bronx, New York. She works in medical imaging with experience in X-ray, CT imaging, and bone density studies. Fontanez holds a New York State radiologic technologist license and is qualified to administer contrast for CT studies.

Fontanez earned an associate degree in computer science from SUNY Cobleskill before transitioning into healthcare. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in radiology from Concordia College in 2020 and has also been certified as a nursing assistant. In 2025, she received a Best Technologist Award for her work. Her professional interests include medical imaging, patient communication, continued learning, and the role radiology technologists play in patient care.