The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from working professionals in Radiography. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Radiography 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 radiographers. 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 radiographer. A survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 2,000 current radiographers to determine these topics. Another survey of possible positions and projects was sent to another 2,000 radiographers. Results from these surveys were used to update the content specifications and clinical competency requirements.
The ARRT Radiography 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 Radiography documents have a scheduled implementation date of March 1, 2027.
SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EXAMINATION CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS:
Patient Care
- Medical Condition(s) and Schedule Patients were added to the Interpersonal Communications section. IV Supplies were added in Infection Control to the Disposal of Contaminated Materials section. Chemicals and Chemotherapy were removed from the Handling and Disposal of Toxic or Hazardous Materials. Types of Materials remain in this section.
Safety
- The section Minimizing Patient Exposure was changed to include Repeats. Morbid obesity was changed to Body Habitus. Pregnancy and Resources (e.g. Image Wisely, Image Gently) were added to the Minimizing Patient Exposure and Repeats section. Image Receptors were changed to Digital Detector (e.g., DQE, exposure latitude) in this section.
Image Production
- Image Contrast and Subject Contrast were added to the Factors Affecting Radiographic Quality table.
- All content pertaining to CR was removed.
- Virtual Grids were added and Compensating Filters were deleted in the Imaging Equipment section.
- Security and Confidentiality and Teleradiography were added in the Informatics section.
Procedures
- Lumbar Puncture and Epidural Injections were added to the Myelography content. Joint Injection/Aspiration were added to the Arthrography content.
- Line Placement with C-arm and Nasogastric /Enteric and Orogastric/Enteric Tube Placement were added.
- Intravenous Urography and Retrograde Urography were removed from the GU Studies section.
Attachment A Radiographic Positions and Projections
- Head – The following were removed:
Skull: trauma AP axial (reverse Caldwell), trauma AP axial (Towne)
Mandible: PA (modified Waters), submentovertex (full basal)
Temporomandibular Joints: axiolateral (modified Schuller)
Paranasal sinuses: submentovertex (full basal) horizontal beam - Spine and Pelvis – The following were added:
Thoracic spine: AP or PA thoracolumbar
Lumbar spine: cross table lateral (horizontal beam) recumbent, PA and lateral weight bearing lumbar
Pelvis and Hip: AP pelvis weight bearing
The following were removed:
Lumbar spine: PA, posterior oblique, AP right and left bending
Sacrum and coccyx: lateral sacrum or coccyx separate
Myelography is in the procedures section. - Abdomen and GI Studies - The following were removed:
Abdomen: dorsal decubitus
Contrast enema: PA axial (sigmoid)
Surgical cholangiography and ERCP are in the procedures section. - GU Studies - The following were removed:
Cystography: LPO and RPO, lateral, AP axial
Intravenous urography, and retrograde urography, were removed.
Hysterosalpingography is in the procedures section. - Upper Extremities - The following were added:
Hand: Nogaard (ball catchers view)
Wrist: medial oblique
Shoulder: superior-inferior axial lateral
The following were removed:
Wrist: tangential carpal (Gaynor Hart)
Shoulder: supraspinatus outlet (Neer)
Clavicle: PA axial - Lower Extremities - The following were added:
Foot: oblique weight bearing
Ankle: mortise weight bearing
Knee/patella: lateral patella
The following were removed:
Toes: sesamoids, tangential
Foot: lateral oblique
Knee/patella: PA axial intercondylar fossa (Holmblad), PA axial intercondylar fossa (Camp Coventry), AP axial intercondylar fossa (Beclere) - Other: Arthrography is in the procedures section.
Attachment B
- This attachment was removed because the content can be easily found in other resources.
SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
- Vital signs–Temperature, and Venipuncture were removed from the General Patient Care Procedures.
- Thoracolumbar Spine and Nasogastric/Enteric and Orogastric/Enteric Tube (e.g., Dobhoff) were added to the Imaging Procedures. Intravenous Urography was removed.
- The total number of required mandatory exams decreased from 36 to 35. The total number of required elective exams increased from 15 to 16.
REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through an online survey (live until September 19, 2025). The survey is the official method we use to track feedback. The Radiography 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 on the drafts.
Questions?
For questions about how these changes may affect your eligibility for certification and registration, call 651.687.0048 and select the option for earning an ARRT credential.
Thank you for reviewing these important documents!