ARRT Nuclear Medicine

ARRT reports the NMT cut score as a scaled score of 75. Since January 2020, however, the minimum number of correct items needed to reach that scaled score is a few points higher than in previous years, so a reported 75 today reflects a stronger raw performance than it did before the revision.

ARRT began using a new cut score for the Nuclear Medicine Technology examination in January 2020. Before that, ARRT had last updated the NMT cut score in 2000, so candidates should not rely on raw-score targets quoted in older study guides or prep material.

ARRT anticipates that the new cut score and its new performance expectations may lead to a slight decrease in the percentage of candidates who pass the NMT exam. Note that this is a statement about the passing standard, not a separate change to the topic outline, which is revised on its own schedule.

ARRT publishes Examination Content Specifications that outline the topics appearing on the exam, and those documents, not rumor, should drive your study plan. ARRT notes the field and its NMT content specifications have changed significantly since 2000, largely because of the increasing prominence of PET and CT scans and changing radiopharmaceutical availability.

ARRT currently publishes two versions of the Examination Content Specifications, the Task Inventory, and the Didactic and Clinical Competency Requirements: one in force through January 31, 2027, and a revised version effective February 1, 2027. Match the version to your exam date, and check ARRT's site if your date falls near the transition.

Technologists prepare and inject radiopharmaceutical agents into patients, then use a scanner or camera to capture diagnostic images that help physicians diagnose and evaluate serious conditions such as cancer and heart disease. The role is also heavily patient-facing: you explain procedures and help nervous patients understand what to expect.

ARRT describes initial requirements in three areas: education, ethics, and examination, and candidates apply through the primary eligibility pathway. ARRT publishes an application handbook plus Didactic and Clinical Competency Requirements explaining the coursework and clinical procedures you must complete, so review both before you apply.

Build your outline from the Examination Content Specifications first, then cross-check it against the Task Inventory, which lists the job responsibilities typically required of technologists in the field. Layer subject review on top of that outline, use clinical rotations to shore up weak areas, and finish with practice questions plus a review of missed concepts.

The exam is multiple-choice, but the ARRT pages summarized here do not state an item count or time limit, so confirm both from your official application handbook and exam-day instructions. Third-party prep sites often quote figures from older exam versions, so treat unsourced numbers skeptically.

Contact ARRT at 651.687.0048 and choose the option for earning an ARRT credential; the toll-free number is 877.560.ARRT (2778). ARRT's site also hosts the application handbook, Examination Content Specifications, Task Inventory, and competency requirements, all of which are more reliable than third-party summaries or forum posts.