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Cheat sheet

ARRT Limited Scope Cheat Sheet

Practice this exam

Patient Care

18% of exam
Identity Consent HIPAA Infection Control Emergencies

Safety

40% of exam
Radiation Physics ALARA Dose Units Shielding Scatter

Image Production

42% of exam
Technique Image Quality Digital Imaging Equipment QA

Procedure Modules

20-25% of exam
Chest Extremities Skull/Sinuses Spine Podiatric

Quick Facts

Exam Limited Scope
Owner ARRT/state agencies
Core 100 scored
Pilots Core +15
Modules State assigned
Core time 1h 55m
Fee $150
Pass State-determined 75

Identifier vs Room PA

Identifier

Name/DOB
Matches order
Patient-specific

Room

Location only
Can change
Never enough
Verify the person

Patient Action Picker PA

Patient refuses → Stop exam ( Document )
Wrong identity → Reverify ( Two IDs )
Pulseless patient → CPR/AED ( Activate help )
Airway reaction → Emergency response ( Oxygen/epi )
Contact isolation → Gown/gloves ( Before entry )
Catheter transfer → Bag below ( Closed system )
Pregnancy question → Follow policy ( Protect fetus )
Order mismatch → Clarify order ( Before exposure )

Patient Rights PA

Two identifiers Name plus DOB
Consent Permission for care
Refusal Stop and document
HIPAA Protect PHI
Battery Unauthorized touching
Negligence Care below standard
Respondeat Employer liability
Res ipsa Thing speaks

Sterile vs Aseptic PA

Sterile

No microorganisms
Sterile field
Surgical asepsis

Aseptic

Reduce microbes
Clean technique
Break transmission
Eliminate vs reduce

Infection + Emergency PA

Hand hygiene Before/after contact
Standard Every patient
Contact Gown + gloves
Droplet Mask close contact
Airborne N95 isolation
Asepsis Reduce microbes
Sterile No microorganisms
CPR/AED Pulseless response
Contrast airway Emergency reaction

ALARA SA

ALARA: time distance shielding
Time Distance Shielding Collimation

Deterministic vs Stochastic SA

Deterministic

Threshold
Severity increases
Tissue reaction

Stochastic

No threshold
Probability increases
Cancer risk
Severity vs chance

Radiation Physics SA

Thermionic Electron release
Bremsstrahlung Braking radiation
Characteristic Shell transition
Primary beam Useful x-rays
Remnant beam Exit radiation
Photoelectric Absorption interaction
Compton Scatter interaction
Attenuation Beam reduction
Gy Absorbed dose
Sv Dose equivalent

Grid vs Collimation SA

Grid

Absorbs scatter
Improves contrast
May raise dose

Collimation

Limits field
Lowers scatter
Protects patient
Clean vs restrict

Radiation Protection SA

ALARA Keep dose low
Time Shorter exposure
Distance Inverse square
Shielding Barrier attenuation
Collimation Restrict beam
Filtration Remove low energy
Dosimeter Personnel monitor
Pregnancy Follow policy
Scatter Patient source
DAP Dose-area product

Technique IM

mAs quantity; kVp quality
mAs kVp EI Noise

kVp vs mAs IM

kVp

Beam quality
Contrast effect
Penetration

mAs

Beam quantity
Receptor exposure
Noise control
Quality vs quantity

Image Correction Picker IM

Quantum noise → Increase exposure ( More signal )
Motion blur → Shorter time ( Immobilize )
Magnification → Lower OID ( Increase SID )
Shape distortion → Align part ( Reduce angle )
Scatter fog → Collimate/grid ( Clean contrast )
Rotation error → Reposition ( Check landmarks )
Anatomy clipped → Repeat view ( Include anatomy )
Wrong marker → Correct marker ( Legal ID )

Technique Factors IM

kVp Beam quality
mAs Beam quantity
15% rule Doubles receptor exposure
SID Source distance
OID Object distance
Focal spot Detail control
Motion Blur source
Grid Scatter cleanup
AEC Automatic exposure
EI Exposure indicator

Geometry IM

SID up; OID down
Long SID Short OID Small focal No motion

SID vs OID IM

SID

Source distance
Longer reduces blur
Affects intensity

OID

Part distance
Shorter reduces magnification
Affects distortion
Far source, close part

Digital + QA IM

Pixel Image element
DEL Detector element
DQE Detector efficiency
SNR Signal/noise ratio
Histogram Exposure distribution
Artifact Unwanted image mark
Marker Side identification
Fog Unwanted exposure
Calibration Detector maintenance
Monitor QC Display quality

Core Counts PR

Core: PC=18 S=40 IP=42
Patient Care Safety Image Production

Position vs Projection PR

Position

Patient placement
Body orientation
Landmarks

Projection

Beam path
Entry/exit
CR direction
Body vs beam

Procedure Picker PR

State assigns chest → Chest module ( 20 scored )
Routine chest → PA/lateral ( Upright )
Fluid level → Decubitus ( Horizontal beam )
Extremity trauma → Modify views ( Do no harm )
Long bone → Include joints ( Both ends )
Sinus fluid → Erect view ( Shows levels )
C-spine trauma → No manipulation ( Stabilize )
Foot alignment → Weightbearing ( If ordered )

Procedure Modules PR

Chest 20 scored
Extremities 25 scored
Skull/Sinuses 20 scored
Spine 25 scored
Podiatric 20 scored
Each module Five pilots
CSR Assigned modules
State agency Sets eligibility

Positioning Hooks PR

PA chest Upright routine
Lateral chest Second routine view
Decubitus Air/fluid levels
Long bone Include joints
Oblique Unsuperimpose anatomy
C-spine Do not force
Sinuses Erect when possible
Weightbearing Podiatric comparison

Common Traps

Consent vs order

Order requests exam ≠ Consent permits care

Room vs patient

Room number moves ≠ Identifiers stay patient-specific

ALARA scope

Patient dose minimized ≠ ALARA names personnel

mAs vs kVp

mAs controls quantity ≠ kVp controls quality

Grid vs dose

Grid cleans scatter ≠ Grid may raise exposure

Position vs projection

Position is body ≠ Projection is beam

Pilot vs scored

Pilots are hidden ≠ Pace every item

Last Minute

1. Confirm state modules
2. Core has 100 scored
3. Safety has 40 scored
4. Image Production has 42
5. Patient Care has 18
6. Use two identifiers
7. ALARA: time distance shielding
8. kVp quality; mAs quantity
9. 15% rule doubles exposure
10. Never disclose exam items

ARRT Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography

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