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ARRT Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Nuclear Medicine Technology Documents

Published on Aug 8, 2025

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from working professionals in Nuclear Medicine Technology. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Nuclear Medicine Technology Examination Content Specifications and Clinical Competency Requirements.

Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of entry-level nuclear medicine technologists. ARRT’s examinations are job-related. That is, we only include topics if that knowledge relates directly to a clinical activity typically required for a technologist’s job. A survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 2,000 current nuclear medicine technologists to determine these topics. Results from this survey were used to update the content specifications and clinical competency requirements.

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Practice Analysis Committee (composed of subject matter experts from throughout the United States) began working on these documents in February 2024 and will complete work on them this fall. After that, ARRT’s Board of Trustees will review the proposed changes. The new Nuclear Medicine Technology documents have a scheduled implementation date of February 1, 2027.

SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EXAMINATION CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS:

Patient Care

  • Review pertinent medical history and communication with the patient before and during the procedure were added to the patient education section.
  • Medical equipment malfunctions was added to the patient assistance and monitoring section.
  • Mental health crisis and communication of critical findings to the health care team were added to the medical emergencies section.

Safety

  • Local effects (e.g., infiltration) and emergency medications were added to the pharmacology section.

Image Production

  • The informatics section was updated to reflect current terminology and be consistent with other ARRT disciplines.

Procedures

  • Antigen antibody and sequestration were removed in the radiopharmaceutical characteristics section. Radiochromatography was removed in the preparation and administration section.
  • Neuroendocrine and adrenal imaging were removed in the endocrine section.
  • RBC hemangioma was removed in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary section.
  • The following pharmaceuticals were removed from Attachment A, Nuclear Medicine Pharmaceuticals: In-111 pentetreotide (OctreoScan ™), Tl-201 thallous chloride, Ga-67 gallium citrate, F-18 sodium fluoride (NaF), F-18 fluciclovine (Axumin®),F-18 florbetaben (Neuraceq™), F-18 flutemetamol (Vizamyl™), I-131 iobenguane (MIBG, AZEDRA®), adenosine, and Dipyridamole (Persantine®).
  • The following pharmaceuticals were added to Attachment A, Nuclear Medicine Pharmaceuticals: Cu-64 dotatate (Detectnet™), Ga-68 gozetotide PMSA (e.g., Illuccix®), F-18 piflufolastat PMSA (Pylarify®), Lu-177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto®), and Y-90 microspheres (SIR-Spheres®).

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

  • Vital Signs – Pulse Oximetry was added to the General Patient Care Procedures. CT scanner (air calibration and QC phantom) was added to the Quality Control Procedures.
  • Hemangioma was removed from the Gastrointestinal section. Bone was removed from the PET or PET/CT section. Adrenal and Other (e.g., Ga-67 citrate) were removed from the Tumor section.
  • Tumor (Other, e.g., Neuroendocrine) was added to the PET or PET/CT section. Hepatic Artery Perfusion Study (HAPS) was added to the Respiratory section. Prostate (e.g., Lu-177 Pluvicto) was added to the Therapy section.
  • The minimum number of required procedures increased from 25 to 26.

REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK

We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through an online survey (live until September 12, 2025). The survey is the official method we use to track feedback. The Nuclear Medicine Technology Practice Analysis Committee will review all comments and may make additional changes based on your feedback.

Note: Additions are in blue, and deletions are in strikethrough red in the drafts.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about how the proposed changes may affect your eligibility for certification and registration in Nuclear Medicine Technology, call 651.687.0048. Select the option for earning an ARRT credential.

Thank you for your contribution to this important project!