ARRT Radiation Therapy study guide
ARRT Radiation Therapy · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ARRT Radiation Therapy credential - R.T.(T) - is a national certification and registration offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists for technologists who perform radiation therapy. ARRT describes itself as a leading credentialing organization offering certification and registration across radiologic disciplines, and radiation therapy is listed among its primary credentials. The ARRT Radiation Therapy study guide has 5 sections and about 1,574 words.
01Patient Care and Education
Patient care items test whether you can assess a patient before, during, and after a course of radiation therapy and act on what you find. Know the acute (early) reactions - radiation dermatitis, fatigue, oral mucositis, xerostomia, esophagitis, nausea, diarrhea, cystitis - and distinguish them from late effects such as fibrosis, persistent xerostomia, and second malignancy.
328 words, about 2 min02Safety
Safety questions blend radiation protection with general workplace safety. The organizing principle is ALARA , achieved through time, distance, and shielding .
330 words, about 2 min03Treatment Planning
Planning questions test volume definitions and plan evaluation. Know ICRU concepts: GTV (visible disease), CTV (GTV plus presumed microscopic spread), ITV (CTV plus internal motion), PTV (CTV/ITV plus setup and penumbral margin - a geometric , not biologic, concept), plus OAR and PRV .
320 words, about 2 min04Radiation Treatment Delivery
Delivery questions test the sequence and verification of treatment. Before beam-on: confirm patient identity and laterality, verify the prescription and plan match the record-and-verify system, confirm accessories (bolus, blocks, wedges, electron cutouts, bite block), perform the time-out, position and immobilize, set gantry/collimator/couch, and verify imaging/IGRT registration.
293 words, about 1 min05Dosimetry and Quality Assurance
This domain covers calibration, calculation, and verification. Know that absorbed dose is reported in gray (Gy) ; 1 Gy = 100 cGy = 100 rad, and 1 cGy = 1 rad.
303 words, about 2 min