Your ARRT credential isn't just proof of clinical competency — it's a public statement that you are qualified, trustworthy, and committed to ethical practice. Here's what the ethics requirements actually mean, and what they require of you.
When most people think about what it means to be a qualified radiologic technologist, they think about board scores, clinical competencies, and continuing education. Those things matter enormously. But ARRT places equal weight on something less visible: your ethi...
CQR isn't something to fear or dread — but it is something to plan for. Here's exactly what to expect, what to do, and how to make the process work in your favor.
If you earned your ARRT credential on or after January 1, 2011 — or if you hold an R.R.A. designation — your certification and registration is time-limited to ten years. That means at some point in your career, you will encounter the Continuing Qualifications Requirements, better known as CQR. And if you're like most technologists I talk ...
Earning your ARRT credentials is a milestone. Keeping them is the long game — and it requires understanding a layered system of annual, biennial, and decennial requirements that most programs don't fully prepare you for.
The day you pass your ARRT board exam is one of the proudest moments of your career in radiologic technology. But in the weeks and months that follow, the reality sets in: maintaining your certification and
...
A practical guide to scheduling, exam day procedures, and what happens when things don't go according to plan — from someone who has been there.
Sitting for your ARRT certification exam is one of the most significant milestones of your career in radiologic technology. After years of coursework, clinical rotations, and relentless preparation, the last thing you want is to lose your exam window over a preventable administrative m
...
by Lazar Lazarovski B.S.,R.T.(R)
Host of the Rad Tech Life Podcast
Download new ARRT Specs by clicking HERE.Â
Board Approved: January 2026 | Implementation Date: March 1, 2027
If you're a radiography student planning to sit for the ARRT registry exam, or an instructor preparing your cohort for success, this update is one you need to read carefully. The ARRT has released new Board-Approved Examination Content Specifications, and they go into effect March 1, 2027. While the overall structure of the exam...
Fluoroscopy is a dynamic imaging tool that offers real-time visualization of internal anatomy and physiological processes. It’s indispensable in a wide range of diagnostic and interventional procedures, from barium studies to complex vascular interventions. But with this powerful modality comes an increased responsibility: managing radiation exposure to patients and staff.
Because fluoroscopy often involves longer exposure times than standard radiographic imaging, technologists and radiologists must ap...
In radiographic imaging, the balance between diagnostic clarity and patient safety is achieved not just through technology, but through technique—especially positioning. How a patient is aligned relative to the x-ray beam, image receptor, and anatomical area of interest profoundly influences the amount of radiation required, the need for repeat exams, and the accuracy of diagnosis.
Positioning is often overlooked as a radiation safety tool, but in reality, it is one of the most effective ways to minimi...
In the world of diagnostic radiology, image quality and patient safety must coexist in every decision made by the technologist. While collimation, filtration, and receptor selection all play critical roles in radiation protection, one often misunderstood tool in the imaging chain is the grid. Primarily used to improve image contrast by reducing scatter radiation, grids can also influence patient dose in ways that require careful management and expertise.
In this post, we will explore:
-
What grids a
...
In the realm of diagnostic imaging, technological advances have continuously reshaped the way radiologic professionals balance diagnostic quality with patient safety. One of the most critical elements in this equation is the image receptor—the device or medium that captures the diagnostic image produced by x-rays passing through the body. The type and performance of image receptors not only influence the quality of the radiograph but also have a direct impact on the amount of radiation to which a patien...
In the ever-evolving field of diagnostic imaging, radiation safety is not merely a set of best practices—it is a professional and ethical responsibility. Among the tools available to radiologic technologists, radiographic dose documentation stands out as both a shield and a spotlight. It shields patients from excessive exposure and shines a light on the clinical decision-making that prioritizes patient well-being.
Documenting radiation dose is more than recordkeeping—it’s about accountability, transpar...
Radiation protection in diagnostic radiography is built upon the principle that every exposure carries risk—and therefore, every exposure must be optimized. Among the core strategies used to reduce unnecessary patient dose, filtration stands as one of the most effective and universally applied. While it quietly operates inside the x‑ray tube assembly, its impact on skin dose, organ exposure, beam quality, and compliance with national safety standards is profound.
Filtration does far more than “clean up...
Minimizing radiation exposure is not solely a matter of adjusting machines or applying technical filters—it also demands careful attention to the patient as a dynamic, central part of the imaging process. In this third installment of our series on radiation safety, we turn our focus to patient considerations, exploring how thoughtful approaches to positioning, communication, pediatric care, and imaging morbidly obese patients can significantly reduce unnecessary exposure while maintaining diagnostic qua...
