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Computed Tomography Examination (ARRT post-primary certification)
The ARRT Computed Tomography Examination is the post-primary certification exam of The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists for technologists who already hold a supporting credential in Radiography, Nuclear Medicine Technology (ARRT or NMTCB), or Radiation Therapy. It is a computer-based exam of 165 scored questions plus 30 unscored pilot questions across four content categories (Patient Care 21, Safety 21, Image Production 52, Procedures 71), with 195 minutes of test time (215-minute appointment including tutorial, NDA, and survey), delivered at Pearson test centers; a scaled score of 75 (on a 1-99 scale) is required to pass.
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Questions195 questions total: 165 scored plus 30 unscored (pilot) questions
Testing time195 minutes of test time (ARRT allows approximately one minute per question); total appointment length 215 minutes (3 hours, 35 minutes), which includes an 8-minute tutorial, a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, and a 10-minute post-exam survey
ScoringA scaled score of 75 is required to pass; ARRT conducts studies to determine the number of correct answers needed for a scaled score of 75 on each exam, and panels of experts periodically review the passing scores
Exam feeUSD 225 postprimary application fee (CT included in the postprimary category); USD 450 when using a Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) credential as the supporting category; USD 200 reapplication fee if the exam is not passed on the first or second attempt; USD 65 annual renewal to maintain the credential once earned
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- ARRT
- Category
- Medical Imaging & Radiation Therapy
- Current version
- Computed Tomography Examination Content Specifications — ARRT board approved July 2025, implementation date September 1, 2026 (replaces the specs valid through August 31, 2026)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- Scaled scores 1-99 (75 = passing); section scores reported 0.1-9.9 in tenth-point intervals
- Testing provider
- Pearson (Pearson test centers)
- Format
- Computer-based at Pearson test centers; candidates answer each question before moving on, can flag and return to questions if time allows, and cannot retrieve the preliminary score after leaving the score screen
- Availability
- After ARRT processes the application and posts the Candidate Status Report, the candidate has a 365-calendar-day exam window to schedule and complete the exam at a Pearson test center; scheduling is available 24 hours after the Candidate Status Report posts
- Results
- A preliminary score is shown on screen at the end of the exam (not a final result and only visible to the candidate); after Pearson returns the data, ARRT completes an analysis and sends an email notification with a secure link to the official score report (total scaled score plus content-area breakdown); certification status reflects on the Verify Credentials page within about four weeks of the exam date
Exam structure
One computer-based exam of 165 scored questions in four content categories: Patient Care 21 (Patient Interactions and Management 21), Safety 21 (Radiation Safety and Dose 21), Image Production 52 (Image Formation 30, Image Evaluation and Archiving 22), and Procedures 71 (Head, Spine, and Musculoskeletal 25; Neck and Chest 22; Abdomen and Pelvis 24); most questions are multiple-choice with one best answer, presented in random order, with unscored pilot questions mixed in
Where rules vary
A single national post-primary certification exam with one content specification and one fee, administered at Pearson test centers in the U.S.; ARRT certification and registration is a voluntary national credential (some states also use ARRT exams for state licensing through a separate state-candidate process at a separate fee).
Eligibility
Must already be certified and registered in Radiography, Nuclear Medicine Technology (through ARRT or NMTCB), or Radiation Therapy; must maintain compliance with the ARRT Standards of Ethics and complete requirements in structured education (logged in ARRT's online tool, completed within the 24 months before applying), documented clinical experience (verifier sign-off required), and the examination
Retake policy
Three attempts to pass the exam, each within three years of the date the first exam window opens; after a failed first or second attempt the candidate reapplies online and pays the USD 200 reapplication fee; if the exam is not passed on the third attempt, ARRT sends information on how to requalify; a closed exam window (missed appointment, expired 365 days, NDA refusal, invalid ID) forfeits the application fee but does not count as an attempt unless fewer than 30 days remain in the eligibility period