Cardiothoracic radiology jobs sit at the intersection of chest imaging, cardiac CT/MRI, and thoracic oncology — a subspecialty pool that's harder to search than general diagnostic radiology because postings scatter across academic sites, private practice boards, and teleradiology company pages. This guide breaks down where those jobs actually live in 2026 and which settings fit which career goals.
- Academic cardiothoracic radiology jobs pay less but build CCTA and cardiac MRI volume fastest — Consider for early career.
- Private practice cardiothoracic groups offer partnership tracks and higher base pay — Buy for radiologists wanting equity by year 3-5.
- Cancer center thoracic imaging roles suit radiologists with oncologic imaging interest — Consider, not a fit for general chest-only training.
- Teleradiology cardiothoracic reads exist but CCTA volume is thin remotely — Skip if cardiac CT is your primary goal.
- 5,000+ radiology jobs across 20 sources on RadBoard make cardiothoracic postings searchable by subspecialty filter in 2026.
Why this matters
Cardiothoracic radiology is a narrow fellowship path — most residency programs graduate a handful of cardiothoracic-trained radiologists a year compared to dozens in body or neuro. That scarcity means postings rarely say "cardiothoracic" outright; they hide inside "chest and cardiac imaging," "thoracic oncology," or general diagnostic listings that mention CCTA experience as a preference. Knowing which practice settings actually run cardiac CT and MRI volume saves you from applying to jobs that will hand you plain-film chest reads instead.
Pay and call structure also vary more here than in general radiology. A cardiothoracic radiologist reading cardiac MRI at an academic medical center in 2026 earns differently than one doing high-volume lung cancer screening CT at a private group, even though both list "cardiothoracic" in the job title.
Who this is for
This guide is for fellowship-trained cardiothoracic radiologists, or diagnostic radiologists finishing a chest/cardiac fellowship in 2026, who want to match their training to a practice setting that actually uses it — not a generic diagnostic role that happens to include chest CT.
What to look for in cardiothoracic radiology jobs
CCTA and cardiac MRI volume
Ask for actual monthly case counts before signing. A practice advertising "cardiac imaging" that runs 15 CCTAs a month won't keep fellowship skills sharp; one running 100+ will. This single number tells you more than the job title does.
Lung cancer screening program involvement
Most hospital systems now run low-dose CT lung screening programs, and cardiothoracic radiologists frequently oversee the reads and Lung-RADS categorization. A role tied to an active screening program means steady volume and a built-in referral pipeline — a role without one means you're competing for scraps of chest volume against general radiologists.
Subspecialty call structure
Cardiothoracic-trained radiologists sometimes get pulled into general emergency call rotations regardless of training. Confirm whether the position is truly subspecialty-only or whether you'll be reading abdominal CT at 2 a.m. alongside your cardiac MRI clinic.
Academic vs. private practice split
Academic centers offer the deepest cardiac MRI and CCTA volume plus teaching, but base compensation trails private practice by a meaningful margin. Private practice cardiothoracic groups pay more and often offer partnership tracks, but volume may lean more toward routine chest CT than complex cardiac cases.
Oncologic imaging overlap
Thoracic oncology and cardiothoracic imaging overlap heavily at cancer centers — staging CTs, PET/CT correlation, and treatment response reads. If your fellowship leaned cardiac, confirm the oncologic imaging load matches your interest before accepting a cancer-center-heavy role.
Geographic demand concentration
Cardiothoracic subspecialty roles cluster around academic medical centers and large private groups in metro areas rather than rural hospitals, which mostly need general diagnostic coverage. Search broadly across regions rather than assuming your home market has an opening.
Top practice settings for cardiothoracic radiology jobs
Academic medical center cardiothoracic division — the training-volume pick. These roles run the highest CCTA and cardiac MRI case volume, often 150+ cardiac studies a month, plus resident and fellow teaching. Consider this if you're within 3 years of fellowship and want to keep advanced cardiac imaging skills current; base pay trails private practice by design. Academic postings often sit alongside teaching-track openings — see the guide on academic radiology jobs for teaching and research physicians for how these roles structure RVU expectations against teaching time.
Private practice cardiothoracic group — the equity pick. Multi-radiologist groups with dedicated cardiothoracic sections offer partnership tracks, typically vesting over 2-3 years, with compensation built on collections rather than a flat academic salary. Buy this option if you want equity ownership and can tolerate a partnership buy-in structure; volume runs high on cardiac CT and lung cancer screening but lower on complex cardiac MRI than academic centers. Details on how these tracks are structured live in the private practice radiology jobs for partnership tracks guide.
Cancer center thoracic imaging — the oncology-adjacent pick. NCI-designated and regional cancer centers run heavy thoracic oncology imaging: staging CT, PET/CT, treatment response. Consider this if your fellowship included oncologic imaging rotations and you want tumor board involvement; skip it if cardiac MRI and CCTA are your primary interest, since cardiac volume here runs thin compared to oncologic chest work. The cancer center radiology jobs for oncologic imaging specialists guide covers what these roles actually pay and expect.
Teleradiology cardiothoracic reads — the flexibility pick, with a catch. Remote cardiothoracic-specific contracts exist but they're rare and mostly limited to routine chest CT rather than live cardiac MRI or CCTA, which usually require on-site protocoling. Wait on this path unless you've already built a subspecialty referral base; general teleradiology volume will dilute your cardiac skills fast.
VA hospital cardiothoracic role — the stability pick. VA cardiothoracic openings offer federal benefits, no weekend call in most positions, and steady lung cancer screening volume tied to veteran-specific screening protocols. Consider this if benefits and schedule predictability outweigh maximizing cardiac MRI volume — pay runs below private practice but the trade-off is real work-life structure.
What to avoid
- General diagnostic postings that mention "cardiac experience preferred" — these are body/general roles padding the listing, not true cardiothoracic positions with dedicated volume.
- Teleradiology contracts advertising "cardiac reads" without specifying CCTA vs. plain chest CT — ask for the actual study mix before signing.
- Rural hospital systems listing "cardiothoracic" in a general radiologist job description — the subspecialty volume usually isn't there to support dedicated cardiac work; you'll be reading everything.
Filter cardiothoracic jobs by subspecialty
Search 5,000+ radiology postings from 20 sources with AI-powered filters.
Verdict comparison
| Setting | CCTA/Cardiac MRI Volume | Call Burden | Compensation Structure | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic medical center | High (150+/month) | Moderate, subspecialty-heavy | Salary, teaching time built in | Consider |
| Private practice group | Moderate-high | Low to moderate | Collections-based, partnership track | Buy |
| Cancer center | Low cardiac, high oncologic | Low | Salary, tumor board time | Consider |
| Teleradiology | Low (routine CT mostly) | Flexible, shift-based | Per-read or hourly | Wait |
| VA hospital | Moderate, screening-focused | Low, no weekends typical | Federal salary scale | Consider |
FAQ
What is the difference between cardiothoracic radiology and general chest radiology?
Cardiothoracic radiology adds fellowship-level training in cardiac CT, cardiac MRI, and complex thoracic oncologic imaging beyond routine chest X-ray and CT reads. General diagnostic radiologists can read chest CT, but cardiac MRI and CCTA protocoling typically require dedicated fellowship training.
Do cardiothoracic radiology jobs pay more than general diagnostic radiology?
Private practice cardiothoracic roles with partnership tracks often pay more than general diagnostic positions due to subspecialty demand and equity structures. Academic cardiothoracic roles typically pay less than private practice regardless of subspecialty.
Can I find remote cardiothoracic radiology jobs?
Remote cardiothoracic-specific contracts exist but are limited mostly to routine chest CT rather than cardiac MRI or CCTA, which usually need on-site protocoling. Check teleradiology jobs for remote flexibility details before assuming full cardiac coverage is available remotely.
What volume of CCTA cases should a cardiothoracic job offer?
Ask for actual monthly case counts rather than trusting the job title. Volumes above 100 CCTA studies a month at academic centers keep fellowship-level skills active; volumes under 20-30 a month suggest the role is general diagnostic with a cardiac label.
Do cancer centers hire cardiothoracic radiologists?
Yes, cancer centers hire cardiothoracic-trained radiologists primarily for thoracic oncologic imaging like staging CT and treatment response, not cardiac MRI. Cardiac case volume runs low at most cancer center roles compared to academic or private practice settings.
Is a cardiothoracic fellowship required for these jobs?
Most dedicated cardiothoracic radiology jobs require or strongly prefer fellowship training in cardiac CT/MRI and thoracic imaging. General diagnostic radiologists without fellowship training can read routine chest CT but are unlikely to be considered for CCTA-heavy roles.
What's the fastest way to search cardiothoracic radiology jobs in 2026?
Filtering by subspecialty across multiple job sources at once finds cardiothoracic postings faster than checking individual hospital career pages. RadBoard aggregates 5,000+ radiology jobs from 20 sources with AI-powered search for this exact filtering problem.
Do VA hospitals offer cardiothoracic radiology positions?
Yes, VA hospitals hire cardiothoracic radiologists mostly tied to veteran lung cancer screening programs, with federal benefits and typically no weekend call. Cardiac MRI volume at VA sites runs lower than academic medical centers.
One last thing
The biggest mismatch in cardiothoracic radiology hiring isn't pay — it's volume mismatch between what the job title promises and what the daily worklist delivers. A radiologist who spent a fellowship year building cardiac MRI reads and takes a job that turns out to be 80% routine chest CT will lose those skills within 12-18 months. Ask for a sample worklist or shadow day before signing, not just a study-mix percentage on paper.