The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from state licensing agencies and professionals working as bone densitometry equipment operators. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Bone Densitometry Equipment Operator Examination Content Specifications.
Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of bone density equipment operators. ARRT’s examinations are job-related. That is, we only include topics if knowledge of those topics relates directly to a clinical activity typically required in one’s job. A survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 1,000 current bone densitometry technologists to determine these topics. Results from this survey was used to update the content specifications.
ARRT’s Bone Densitometry Practice Analysis Committee (composed of subject matter experts from throughout the nation) began working on these documents in October 2023 and will complete work on them this fall. After that, ARRT’s Board of Trustees will review the proposed changes. The revised Bone Densitometry Equipment Operator Examination Content Specifications have a scheduled implementation date of January 1, 2027.
SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS
Patient Care
- Drug therapies/supplements were added.
Safety
- Dose equivalent was changed to effective dose.
Image Production
- Reconfigure report settings, trabecular bone score (TBS), whole body DXA were added.
- Cross-calibration was removed.
- An informatics section replaced the file and database management section.
Procedures
- Window level was added to the scan areas (lumbar spine, proximal femur, forearm).
- Follow-up scan (rate of change, reproducibility) was added to the forearm area.
REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through on online survey (live until March 31, 2025). The survey is the official method by which we track feedback. The Bone Densitometry Practice Analysis Committee will review all comments and may make additional changes based on your feedback.
Note: On the draft, additions are in blue and deletions are in strikethrough red.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about how the proposed changes may affect your eligibility for the bone densitometry equipment operator licensure, call your state licensing agency.
Thank you for your contribution to this important project.