ARRT Cardiac-Interventional Radiography study guide
ARRT Cardiac-Interventional Radiography · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Cardiac Interventional Radiography (CI) is an ARRT postprimary credential for registered radiologic technologists who assist physicians with minimally invasive, image-guided procedures used to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel disease without surgery. Candidates must already hold ARRT credentials in an approved supporting discipline and apply through the postprimary eligibility pathway. In practice, CI technologists work with sophisticated fluoroscopic equipment to image the heart and the vessels surrounding it, and may assist with procedures such as angioplasty, stenting, thrombolysis, embolization, ablation, and biopsies. The certification exam is based on ARRT's Examination Content Specifications and Task Inventory, which define the topics and job responsibilities tested; the Clinical Experience Requirements and Structured Education Requirements define the hands-on and educational preparation expected before you sit. The ARRT Cardiac-Interventional Radiography study guide has 4 sections and about 1,210 words.
01Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology
The left main coronary artery divides into the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCx). The LAD supplies the anterior wall, the anterior two-thirds of the septum through septal perforators, and the apex through diagonals.
317 words, about 2 min02Cardiac Interventional Procedures and Equipment
Diagnostic coronary engagement typically uses Judkins Left (JL) and Judkins Right (JR) curves matched to aortic root size; the JL seats in the left main and the JR in the RCA. Amplatz curves help with upward or horizontal take-offs and anomalous origins.
309 words, about 2 min03Image Production and Evaluation
Fluoroscopy provides real-time low-dose imaging; cine and digital angiography acquire higher-dose sequences for review. Spatial resolution depends on pixel size, matrix, and focal spot; contrast resolution depends on bit depth and photon statistics.
293 words, about 1 min04Radiation Safety and Patient Care
ALARA governs every case: use the lowest dose that answers the clinical question. Time, distance, and shielding are the levers; doubling distance from the scatter source cuts exposure to about one quarter by the inverse square law.
291 words, about 1 min