CT (NMTCB) - Computed Tomography

A certification in Computed Tomography (CT) from the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) tests the competency of nuclear medicine technologists who work as CT technologists. This certification is a great way to show your commitment and competency to your work and your patients.

The CT certification exam from the NMTCB is a 3.5-hour exam with 200 multiple-choice questions. Each question on the computerized exam has four or five multiple-choice options with only one correct answer.

Exam content covers the following topics: 

• CT Procedures: Anatomy, Elements, Indications, & Pathology

• Data Acquisition and Post Processing

• Image Quality and Quality Assurance

• Medications and Contrast Agents

• Patient Management

• Radiation Safety

• System Operations and Instrumentation

The application fee for the exam is $185. There is on-demand scheduling for the exam, which means you can take it at any time of the year without waiting for certain eligibility windows to open.

Eligibility requirements for the exam include: 

• A current certification from the NMTCB, ARRT, or CAMRT 

• Documentation of 300 total clinical hours in PET/CT, SPECT/CT, or CT with a minimum of 10 different procedures and 50 repetitions 

• Clinical hours must have occurred within the three years before applying for the exam and may be acquired through student clinical in an accredited program

• Completion of 35 contact hours related to CT within the three years before applying for the exam with at least four hours in each of the following categories: 

  • Contrast administration

  • CT radiation safety

  • Cross-sectional anatomy

  • X-ray physics

• Graduates of an accredited program within three years of applying for this certification are considered to have met the 35-hour education requirement

You must submit your application and all supporting documentation online. Once the NMTCB receives your application, you will get an email acknowledging that they received it. 

If you are approved to sit for the exam, you will receive an email with instructions for scheduling your exam. After your application is approved, you have three months to schedule your exam with IQT, the NMTCB’s testing partner.

CT certifications are valid for one year, and you must also maintain an active primary certification. You must also complete 12 hours of continuing education related to CT every two years. Renewal applications can be submitted online or by mail.

The NMTCB offers resources for exam candidates, including:

• Didactic Resources

• Exam Annual Reports

The NMTCB offers other certifications for people who work in medical imaging. Depending on where you work and the type of patients you see, you may also want to consider the following: 

• Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT)

• Positron Emission Technology (PET)

• Nuclear Cardiology Technologist (NCT)

• Radiation Safety (RS)

• Nuclear Medicine Advanced Associate (NMAA)