News List Print

ARRT Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to MRI Documents

Published on Aug 17, 2026

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

Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of MRI 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 an MRI technologist. In May 2026, a survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 4,000 current MRI technologists to determine these topics. Results from these surveys were used to update the content specifications and clinical requirements.

The ARRT MRI Practice Analysis Committee (composed of subject matter experts from throughout the United States) began working on these documents in April 2026 and will complete work on them this fall. After that, ARRT’s Board of Trustees will review the proposed changes. The new MRI documents have a scheduled implementation date of February 1, 2028.

SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EXAMINATION CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS:

Patient Care

Physiologic reactions were added under medical emergencies.

  • Laboratory specimens were added under pharmacology.

Safety

  • The MR environment and equipment management section was reorganized and expanded to include more MR safety topics.
  • The number of questions in the Safety section increased from 21 to 40 questions. Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Safety section, in addition to the entire examination, to pass the MRI exam.

Image Production

  • Image quality was moved from the ‘Focus of Questions’ area to the Sequence Parameters and Options section.
  • Spectroscopy was removed from the Data Acquisition, Processing, and Storage section.
  • CINE was moved to Pulse Sequences in the Data Acquisition, Processing, and Storage section. It was previously located under Data Manipulation within the same section.

Procedures

  • Brain for known tumor or metastases, CSF leaks, and spinal trauma were added under Neurological Procedures.
  • Cine (e.g., CSF flow study, TMJs) and surgical planning were removed from ‘Focus of Questions).
  • Iron quantification was added under Body Procedures.
  • Scapula was added under Musculoskeletal Procedures.
  • Brain spectroscopy was removed from Neurological Procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

  • The following requirements were added to the MRI safety requirements:
    • Identify and implement implant specific parameters.
    • Differentiate the roles and responsibilities between non-MR personnel and level 1 or level 2 MR personnel.
  • The following procedures were changed from elective to required: orbits, cranial nerves (nonIACs), vascular head MRV, soft tissue neck, sacrum and coccyx, chest (noncardiac), vascular chest MRA, female soft tissue pelvis, long bone (upper extremity), elbow, bony pelvis, and long bones (lower extremity).
  • Sternum/sternoclavicular (SC) joints were separated into two different competencies.
  • Hand or wrist were combined so one or the other can be chosen for one mandatory competency.
  • The following procedures were added as electives: CSF flow, CSF leaks, face (e.g., sinuses), vascular neck MRV, lumbar plexus, vascular chest MRV, iron quantification, vascular abdomen MRV, vascular pelvis MRA, vascular pelvis MRV, sternoclavicular joints, scapula, thumb, and vascular extremities.
  • Brain spectroscopy was removed from procedures.
  • The following requirements were added to the MRI Quality Control Procedures:
    • Table Position Accuracy
    • Geometric Accuracy
    • High Contrast Spatial Resolution
    • Low Contrast Detectability
    • Artifact Evaluation
  • Signal to Noise Ratio has been removed from MRI Quality Control Procedures.
  • Up to three competencies can be performed on the same patent each day. Each individual procedure may be used for only one competency.
  • The total number of required mandatory procedures increased from 17 to 30. The total number of required elective procedures decreased from 12 to 10. The number of procedures that may be simulated increased from 5 to 8.

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  • The MRI safety requirements list was converted to a table. The following requirements were added:
    Identify and implement implant specific parameters.
     Differentiate the roles and responsibilities between non-MR Personnel and Level 1 or Level 2 MR personnel.
  • The following procedures were added to the list of procedures: CSF flow, CSF leaks, vascular neck MRV, lumbar plexus, vascular chest MRV, iron quantification, vascular abdomen MRV, soft tissue pelvis, vascular pelvis MRA, vascular pelvis MRV, scapula, thumb, and vascular extremities.
  • Sternum/sternoclavicular (SC) joints were separated to be two clinical different experience requirements.
  • The following procedures were removed from the list of procedures: brain spectroscopy and CINE.
  • Up to three competencies can be performed on the same patient each day. Each individual procedure may be used for only one competency.
  • The following MRI quality control procedures were added: table position accuracy, high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast detectability, and artifact evaluation.
  • The following MRI quality control procedure was removed: signal to noise ratio.

REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK

We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through an online survey (live until October 2, 2026). The survey is the official method we use to track feedback. The MRI Practice Analysis Committee will review all comments and may make additional changes based on your feedback.

Note: Additions are blue, and deletions are red with a strikethrough 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.