委 員 會 的 議 決

The Radiographers Board (“the Board”) is a statutory body established under the Allied Health Professions Ordinance (“AHPO”), Cap. 359, Hong Kong Law to promote adequate standards of professional practice. The Board at its 54^th meeting held on 25 September 2025 resolved the following to clarify that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) falls within the meaning of “radio-diagnostic equipment”, and therefore within the remit of the radiography profession under the AHPO.

Pursuant to Item 2 of Schedule 1 of AHPO, a radiographer is a person trained to operate, inter alia, radio-diagnostic, ultra sound and thermographic equipment for the purpose of radiological diagnosis. While the term “radio-diagnostic” is not explicitly defined in the Ordinance, the Board has considered the following to reach its determination:

Technical Basis

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) classifies the application of physical principles for medical imaging as “diagnostic radiology”, a field that utilizes electromagnetic radiation. This includes the use of X-rays in radiography and computed tomography, as well as the use of radiofrequency (RF) waves in MRI. MRI functions by imaging hydrogen nuclei, leveraging their ability to absorb RF energy within a magnetic field. The resulting signals are detected and processed to generate detailed three-dimensional anatomical images. This technical foundation supports the classification of MRI as a modality within diagnostic radiology.

International Professional Practice

The International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) explicitly includes MRI as a specialty within radiography, with radiographers being educationally prepared and legally authorized to perform such imaging procedures. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks in jurisdictions such as Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom consistently restrict MRI operation to qualified radiographers, establishing a clear international standard for professional practice and patient safety.

Deeming clarity on this matter essential for public safety, professional regulation, and to stakeholder guidance, the Board hereby resolves:

1. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is classified as "radio-diagnostic equipment" for the purposes of the AHPO. Consequently, the operation of an MRI scanner for radiological diagnosis falls within the scope of practice of radiographers (see Schedule 1 to the AHPO).
2. Accordingly, the following persons are legally permitted to operate MRI equipment for radiological diagnosis:
   • A registered radiographer; and
   • A person exempt from section 21(1) of the AHPO, namely:
     • a registered medical practitioner while practising medicine;
     • a registered dentist while practising dentistry;
     • a dental surgery assistant taking a radiograph intraorally or extraorally for the examination of the mouth, teeth, jaws of another person, or their associated structures);
     • a registered veterinary surgeon in relation to any treatment of an animal;
     • a student in the course of undergoing any course in medicine, dentistry or radiography at specified universities, schools or institutions.

(see section 16 of and Schedule 5 to the Radiographers (Registration and Disciplinary) Regulation, Cap. 359H)

Radiographers Board Secretariat
October 2025
(updated on 4 November 2025)