The NMTCB(CT) is a post-primary credential you earn on top of your nuclear medicine certification. SPECT/CT and PET/CT hours count toward it, so you may be closer than you think.
Updated November 2026
You need a current, active nuclear medicine technology certification from NMTCB, ARRT or CAMRT. NMTCB also accepts a current, active ARRT(R), ARRT(T), CAMRT(RT) or CAMRT(RTT) certification. Your clinical hours and coursework then have to meet the requirements below.
| Requirement | What NMTCB asks for |
|---|---|
| Clinical hours | At least 300 hours in PET/CT, SPECT/CT and/or CT, completed within 3 years of applying. They can be earned on a stand-alone CT or a fused SPECT/CT or PET/CT scanner, including as a student in an accredited nuclear medicine program. |
| Procedures | At least 10 different procedures, 50 repetitions in total |
| Coursework | At least 35 contact hours in the 3 years before applying, including at least 4 hours each in contrast administration, cross-sectional anatomy, X-ray physics and CT radiation safety. The rest must be CT-related. |
| Verification | Confirmed by your program director, clinical coordinator, technical supervisor or supervising physician |
Graduates who apply within 3 years of finishing an accredited nuclear medicine program are considered to have met the coursework requirement. Log procedures on the NMTCB CT competency form as you go rather than reconstructing them later.
Source: NMTCB CT exam information. Check the board’s page before you apply — requirements and fees change.
The exam is 200 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours 30 minutes, taken at an IQT testing center. The application fee is $225 and is nonrefundable. Once approved you have 3 months to schedule and sit, with a one-time 3-month extension for $100. You can take the exam up to two times in any 12-month period.
| Content area | Approx. share |
|---|---|
| CT procedures: anatomy, elements, indications, pathology | 25% |
| Radiation safety | 16% |
| System operations and instrumentation | 14% |
| Medications and contrast agents | 14% |
| Image quality and quality assurance | 13% |
| Data acquisition and post processing | 12% |
| Patient management | 6% |
Hybrid imaging gives you a head start on sectional anatomy, patient care and radiation safety. The areas that are usually newer are iodinated contrast and contrast reactions, diagnostic CT protocols beyond the low-dose CT used for attenuation correction, and CT dose metrics such as CTDIvol and DLP. Medications and contrast alone are 14% of the exam.
Start with a timed diagnostic, rank the seven content areas by your score, and study the weakest first. The CT registry study plan includes an adjustment for NMTCB(CT) candidates.
A note on our question bank: its 500 CT questions are strongest on procedures, physics and image production. It has comparatively few questions on contrast, patient management and radiation safety, which together are 36% of the NMTCB(CT), so revise those from your coursework as well.
They are separate credentials from separate boards. The ARRT CT exam is 195 questions with 195 minutes of test time, and ARRT accepts a nuclear medicine credential from either ARRT or NMTCB as the supporting credential. The CT registry page compares both exams. Check which credential your employer or state recognizes before you apply.
Start with 25 free CT registry questions, no card needed. The full bank has 500 CT questions, 34 CT case studies and timed mock exams.