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ARRT Radiography study guide

ARRT Radiography, administered by ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists), is mapped here as 4 topic areas; the heaviest are Procedures (33%), Image Production (25.5%) and Safety (25%).

About this course: Study patient care, radiation safety, image production and positioning one topic at a time.

ARRT Radiography at a glance

Questions
230
Passing standard
SCALED SCORE 75 on a scale of 1-99
Format
multiple choice, computer-based at a standardized testing center
Standard / edition
CURRENT spec = board-approved Jan 2021, implemented Jan 1 2022, in force through Feb 28 2027 (the build target)
Administered by
ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists)

Source: CURRENT spec = board-approved Jan 2021, implemented Jan 1 2022, in force through Feb 28 2027 (the build target), ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists). Confirm current details with the exam owner before you book.

Topic areas and weights

Topic areaWeightConceptsGuide
Procedures33%0Section below
Image Production25.5%0Topic page
Safety25%0Section below
Patient Care16.5%0Section below

Topic guides at a glance

Image Production

25.5% of the course blueprint, 0 concepts. Watch for: kVp controls density/brightness and mAs controls contrast - REVERSED: kVp is the primary controller of CONTRAST (penetration); mAs is the primary controller of receptor EXPOSURE (density/brightness).

Study plan in this course

  1. Upper Extremity Positioning — 5 cards · free
  2. Lower Extremity Positioning — 3 cards · free
  3. Thorax, Abdomen & Contrast Studies — 4 cards · free
  4. Head, Spine & Pelvis Positioning — 4 cards · free
  5. kVp, mAs, and the 15% Rule: Exposure Factors — 4 cards · full course
  6. Inverse-Square Law & Distance Math: Physics Laws & Formulas — 3 cards · full course
  7. Image Quality: Grids and Quality Factors: Image Quality Factors — 3 cards · full course
  8. Digital Imaging: EI, Noise, and Evaluation: Digital Imaging & Evaluation — 3 cards · full course
  9. Equipment, Receptors, and QC: Equipment & QC — 3 cards · full course
  10. Radiation Units: Gray and Sievert: Radiation Units — 3 cards · full course
  11. Dose Limits: NCRP Report 116: Dose Limits — 4 cards · full course
  12. Radiation Protection Principles — 4 cards · full course
  13. Radiobiology: Effects and Sensitivity: Radiobiology — 3 cards · full course
  14. Contrast Media and Reactions — 4 cards · full course
  15. Infection Control and Asepsis — 3 cards · full course
  16. Patient Monitoring and Emergencies — 3 cards · full course
  17. Ethics, Legal, and Patient Rights: Ethics & Legal — 3 cards · full course

Procedures

Procedures carries 33% of the ARRT Radiography blueprint used in this course, the largest of its 4 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 4 study units: Upper Extremity Positioning, Lower Extremity Positioning, Thorax, Abdomen & Contrast Studies and Head, Spine & Pelvis Positioning.

Common mistakes in Procedures

  • The lateral-knee central ray is straight (perpendicular) - WRONG: it is angled ~5-7 deg CEPHALAD to open the joint.
  • Towne and Caldwell use a cephalad central ray - WRONG: both are CAUDAD (Towne ~30 deg, Caldwell ~15 deg).
  • Rotate a suspected-fracture shoulder for the AP internal/external views - WRONG: do NOT rotate; use AP neutral + a trauma view (transthoracic/scapular Y).
  • Image the paranasal sinuses supine - WRONG: sinuses must be ERECT with a HORIZONTAL CR to show air-fluid levels.
  • The AP axial oblique C-spine shows the foramina closest to the IR - REVERSED: AP oblique = foramina FARTHEST from the IR (CR cephalad); PA oblique = closest (CR caudad).

Key terms for Procedures

central ray (CR) · SID · OID

How Procedures connects to other areas

Official references for Procedures

  • ARRT Radiography Content Specs, Procedures section 3 + Attachment A
  • ARRT Attachment A + Bontrager/Merrill positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A + standard positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A + standard positioning reference, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14
  • ARRT spec Procedures section 4 + standard positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A
  • ARRT Attachment A + Bontrager/Merrill, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14

In the app this area comes with 16 memory cards and 74 module-quiz questions and is part of the free starting modules.

Safety

Safety carries 25% of the ARRT Radiography blueprint used in this course, the third-largest of its 4 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 4 study units: Radiation Units, Dose Limits, Radiation Protection Principles and Radiobiology.

Common mistakes in Safety

  • The occupational and public dose limits are about the same - WRONG: occupational = 50 mSv/yr; public = 1 mSv/yr (1/50th). Fetal = 5 mSv/gestation (0.5 mSv/month declared); lens = 150 mSv/yr.
  • ALARA applies mainly to patient dose - the ARRT spec scopes ALARA to PERSONNEL protection.
  • Shielding is the most effective protection - DISTANCE is the most effective cardinal principle (inverse-square).

Key terms for Safety

ALARA · gray (Gy) · sievert (Sv) · air kerma · occupational dose limit · deterministic effect · stochastic effect · collimation · filtration

How Safety connects to other areas

Official references for Safety

  • ARRT spec Safety section: 1B1, 2B
  • NCRP Report #116
  • ARRT spec Safety section 2B2 + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Safety section 2A + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Safety section 2B + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Safety section 1B3f + standard radiobiology reference
  • ARRT spec Safety section 1B2 + standard radiobiology reference
  • ARRT spec Safety section 1B3h + standard radiobiology reference

In the app this area comes with 14 memory cards and 58 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Patient Care

Patient Care carries 16.5% of the ARRT Radiography blueprint used in this course, the 4th-largest of its 4 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 4 study units: Contrast Media & Reactions, Infection Control & Asepsis, Patient Monitoring & Emergencies and Ethics & Legal.

Common mistakes in Patient Care

  • Use barium for any suspected-bowel-perforation GI study - WRONG: if perforation is suspected, use WATER-SOLUBLE IODINATED contrast, NOT barium (barium in the peritoneum is dangerous).
  • Medical asepsis and surgical asepsis are the same - WRONG: medical = REDUCE microbes (clean); surgical = ELIMINATE all microbes incl. spores (sterile field).
  • Ionic contrast is preferred - WRONG: NON-ionic (lower osmolality) is preferred because it causes fewer reactions.

Key terms for Patient Care

ionic vs non-ionic contrast · extravasation/infiltration · medical asepsis · surgical asepsis · eGFR / BUN / creatinine · standard precautions

How Patient Care connects to other areas

Official references for Patient Care

  • ARRT spec Patient Care section G3 + section G4 + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section: G4c, E1, A2
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section G5 + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section G5d + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section E3 + section: E4
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section E2 + standard reference
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section C3a + NIH MedlinePlus
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section D
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section A

In the app this area comes with 13 memory cards and 40 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Official references

  • ARRT Radiography Content Specs, Procedures section 3 + Attachment A
  • ARRT Attachment A
  • ARRT spec Image Production section: 1F
  • ARRT spec Image Production sections: 2B-2C
  • ARRT spec Safety section: 1B1, 2B
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section: G4c, E1, A2
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section E3 + section: E4
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section D
  • ARRT spec Patient Care section A
  • ARRT Attachment A + Bontrager/Merrill positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A + standard positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A + standard positioning reference, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14
  • ARRT spec Procedures section 4 + standard positioning reference
  • ARRT Attachment A + Bontrager/Merrill, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14
  • ARRT spec Image Production section 1A + standard radiography reference, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14
  • Standard radiography exposure reference, web-confirmed: 2026-06-14

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