• 62 questions

Fluoroscopy Practice Test

Unofficial practice for the ARRT Fluoroscopy exam: patient care, radiation safety and image production, every answer sourced.

On a stationary fluoroscope, what is the least source-skin distance the equipment standard allows?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

Print covers the next 55 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

Exam mode: 55 questions, 60 minutes.

More options

Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Bank checked October 12, 2026.

The real exam, as ARRT describes it

Questions
110
Time limit
120 minutes
Retakes
Each state sets its own rules.
Scored
90 scored, 20 pilot (not scored)
Categories
Patient care 9, safety 46, image production 35
Score
Scaled, 1 to 99; not a percent
Who passes
Your state licensing agency decides
Where
A Pearson test center, on a computer
Purpose
State licensing; not an ARRT certification

Checked October 12, 2026 against ARRT, Fluoroscopy Examination Content Specifications (implementation date January 1, 2023) and the 2026 Handbook for State Candidates. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

ARRT's own state licensing exam page

Next step Adult echocardiography practice testEKG practice test

All 62 questions

Patient care 6

  • A billing office asks for a patient's fluoroscopy dose record. For a use like this, outside treatment, how much protected health information does the HIPAA Privacy Rule allow? 45 CFR 164.502, paragraph (b)
  • Diagnostic imaging studies typically expose a fetus to less than which dose, a level with no evidence of a raised risk of fetal anomalies? StatPearls, Radiation Effects on the Fetus, section "Clinical Overview"
  • In fluoroscopy, what alone is an absolute contraindication to contrast media? StatPearls, Fluoroscopy Contrast Materials, section "Contraindications"
  • What does the FDA say about the risk and benefit of a fluoroscopy procedure that is medically needed? FDA, Fluoroscopy, Benefits/Risks
  • What is DICOM? Wikipedia, DICOM, opening section
  • Which of these is one of the elements recorded when an informed consent discussion is documented? StatPearls, Informed Consent, section "Clinical Overview"
Show all 62 questions (56 more)

Radiation physics and radiobiology 15

  • About how much of the energy of the electrons that strike the anode leaves the tube as x-rays? Wikipedia, X-ray tube, section "Physics"
  • An x-ray photon hits an outer-shell electron, knocks it out of orbit and goes on with lower energy in a new direction. Which interaction is this? StatPearls, X-ray Production Technical Evaluation, section "Issues of Concern"
  • Cancer and hereditary effects after radiation exposure are examples of which kind of effect? 10 CFR, section 20.1003
  • Electrons that pass very close to a nucleus in the anode target slow down and change direction. What radiation does this produce? StatPearls, X-ray Production, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • In an x-ray tube, heating the cathode filament releases electrons. What is this process called? StatPearls, X-ray Production, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • In which interaction is the x-ray photon completely absorbed after it meets an inner-shell electron? StatPearls, X-ray Production Technical Evaluation, section "Issues of Concern"
  • One gray (Gy) of absorbed dose equals how much energy absorbed per unit mass? 10 CFR, section 20.1004
  • Radiation-induced cataract is an example of a deterministic (nonstochastic) effect. What marks this kind of effect? 10 CFR, section 20.1003
  • What do the letters of "kerma" stand for? Wikipedia, Kerma (physics), opening section
  • What is linear energy transfer (LET)? Wikipedia, Linear energy transfer, opening section
  • Which kind of x-ray makes up most of the output of a diagnostic x-ray tube? StatPearls, X-ray Production, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • Which pair is correct for the two main exposure factors? StatPearls, X-ray Production Technical Evaluation, section "Issues of Concern"
  • Which quantity is the absorbed dose in tissue multiplied by a quality factor, in rem or sievert? 10 CFR, sections 20.1003 and 20.1004
  • Which statement about coherent (classical) scatter is correct? StatPearls, X-ray Production, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • X-rays can damage DNA indirectly. How? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Overview"

Radiation protection 18

  • A staff member doubles the distance from the source of scatter. By what factor does the exposure fall? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • During fluoroscopy, where is scattered radiation lowest, so that staff should stand there when they can? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Additional Considerations"
  • For fluoroscopic equipment made on or after May 19, 1995, what is the highest air kerma rate allowed in normal operation, without high-level control? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (d)(2)(ii)
  • How should the x-ray tube and the image receptor be placed around the patient to keep exposure down? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • On a mobile or portable fluoroscope, what is the least source-skin distance the equipment standard allows in general use? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (g)(1)
  • On a stationary fluoroscope, what is the least source-skin distance the equipment standard allows? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (g)(1)
  • On x-ray controls made on or after June 10, 2006, how often must an audible signal sound during fluoroscopy? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (h)(2)(ii)
  • Under 10 CFR 20.1502, which adults must be given individual monitoring devices? 10 CFR, section 20.1502(a)(1)
  • Under 10 CFR Part 20, what is the annual dose limit for an individual member of the public from a licensed operation? 10 CFR, section 20.1301(a)(1)
  • Under 10 CFR Part 20, what is the annual occupational limit for the lens of the eye? 10 CFR, section 20.1201(a)(2)
  • Under 10 CFR Part 20, what is the annual occupational limit on total effective dose equivalent for an adult? 10 CFR, section 20.1201(a)(1)
  • Under 10 CFR Part 20, what is the dose limit to the embryo or fetus of a declared pregnant woman from her occupational exposure? 10 CFR, section 20.1208(a)
  • What does a magnification mode do to patient exposure? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • What does ALARA stand for? 10 CFR, section 20.1003
  • What must tell the fluoroscopist that high-level control is in use? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(C)
  • Which change to the beam lowers exposure compared with continuous fluoroscopy? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • Which three factors are the key ways for staff to reduce radiation exposure? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • With high-level control activated, what is the highest air kerma rate the equipment standard allows? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(C)

Equipment operation 14

  • The brightness gain of an image intensifier is made up of which two gains? Wikipedia, Fluoroscopy, section "X-ray image intensifiers"
  • Fluoroscopic equipment made on or after June 10, 2006 must be able to show which image after the exposure ends? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (j)
  • How does digital subtraction angiography (DSA) make blood vessels stand out? Wikipedia, Digital subtraction angiography, opening section
  • In an indirect flat-panel detector, what does the scintillator layer do? Wikipedia, Flat-panel detector, section "Indirect detectors"
  • In an x-ray image intensifier, what does the input phosphor do? Wikipedia, X-ray image intensifier, section "Operation"
  • What does added filtration do to the x-ray beam? StatPearls, X-ray Image Acquisition, section "Issues of Concern"
  • What does automatic exposure rate control (AERC) do? 21 CFR 1020.30, paragraph (b)
  • What is the grid ratio of an anti-scatter grid? Wikipedia, Anti-scatter grid, section "Operation"
  • What is the limit on leakage radiation from a diagnostic source assembly, measured 1 meter from the source? 21 CFR 1020.30, paragraph (k)
  • What kind of control must switch on x-ray production in the fluoroscopic mode? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (c)
  • When may the x-ray tube used for fluoroscopy produce x-rays, under the rule on the primary protective barrier? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (a)(1)
  • Which material lets a direct flat-panel detector convert x-ray photons straight into electric charge? Wikipedia, Flat-panel detector, section "Direct FPDs"
  • Which two dose values must fluoroscopic equipment made on or after June 10, 2006 display at the fluoroscopist's working position? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (k)
  • Which two technique values must be indicated continuously during fluoroscopy? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (f)

Image evaluation and quality control 9

  • How far may the displayed air kerma rate and cumulative air kerma differ from the actual values? 21 CFR 1020.32, paragraph (k)(6)
  • How is dose area product (DAP) defined? Wikipedia, Dose area product, opening section
  • How is radiographic contrast defined? StatPearls, X-Ray Image Quality Assurance, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • How should lead aprons be stored, and why? StatPearls, Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging, section "Clinical Significance"
  • In a report of a fluoroscopy overexposure, which displayed dose-index values does the FDA ask for? FDA, Fluoroscopy, Reporting Problems to the FDA
  • What does detective quantum efficiency (DQE) describe? Wikipedia, Detective quantum efficiency, opening section
  • What does the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) say about an image? StatPearls, X-Ray Image Quality Assurance, section "Definition/Introduction"
  • What happens to image contrast as kVp is raised? StatPearls, X-ray Image Production Procedures, section "Issues of Concern"
  • What mainly determines the quantum noise (quantum mottle) in an image? StatPearls, X-Ray Image Quality Assurance, section "Definition/Introduction"

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the three content categories of the Fluoroscopy Examination Content Specifications that The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) publishes (ARRT Board approved January 2022, implementation date January 1, 2023; https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/406ac8c6-58e8-00b3-e3c1-0c312965deb2/fa4e374a-dfe8-4e45-a28a-cc512ee1b224/FO_CSTI_2023.pdf, linked from https://www.arrt.org/pages/arrt-reference-documents/by-document-type/examination-content-specifications, read 2026-10-12): Patient Care 9 questions, Safety 46 (radiation physics and radiobiology 22, radiation protection 24), Image Production 35 (equipment operation 22, image evaluation and quality control 13). The bank holds 6, 15, 18, 14 and 9 questions. Every fact was read on 2026-10-12 in the public source the question names: 21 CFR 1020.30 and 1020.32 (the federal performance standard for diagnostic x-ray systems and fluoroscopic equipment), 10 CFR Part 20 (standards for protection against radiation) and 45 CFR 164.502, in the eCFR text of 2026-09-01; the FDA page Fluoroscopy (content current as of 02/21/2023); StatPearls chapters on the NCBI Bookshelf (Radiation Safety in Medical Imaging; X-ray Production; X-ray Production Technical Evaluation; X-ray Image Production Equipment Operation; X-ray Image Acquisition; X-Ray Image Quality Assurance; X-ray Image Production Procedures; Informed Consent; Fluoroscopy Contrast Materials; Radiation Effects on the Fetus), read through Europe PMC's copy of the book; and Wikipedia articles (X-ray tube, X-ray image intensifier, Fluoroscopy, Flat-panel detector, Digital subtraction angiography, Anti-scatter grid, Detective quantum efficiency, Dose area product, Kerma, Linear energy transfer, DICOM). Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

This free fluoroscopy practice test has 62 questions of our own in the three categories of the ARRT Fluoroscopy examination. Unofficial: not affiliated with or endorsed by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or any state licensing agency.

Read the full guide

What the exam covers

The ARRT Fluoroscopy content specifications, in effect since January 1, 2023 and read October 12, 2026, cover patient care, safety (radiation physics, radiobiology and radiation protection) and image production. The exam tests dose reduction and safe operation of the unit, not how imaging procedures are performed.

Where the answers come from

Each answer names a public source: the federal fluoroscopy equipment standard (21 CFR 1020.32), the dose limits of 10 CFR Part 20, the FDA fluoroscopy page, StatPearls chapters and Wikipedia articles on detectors. The NCRP reports that the specifications cite are sold, so no question rests on them.

Timing

Exam mode asks 55 questions in 60 minutes, half of the real exam at its pace.

  • The 10 CFR Part 20 limits are written for Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees. Check which limits your state applies to x-ray work.

Questions and answers

Who gives the ARRT fluoroscopy exam?

ARRT develops it and gives it at Pearson test centers on behalf of state licensing agencies. Your state approves you to sit it, receives the score and decides whether you pass. It is not tied to an ARRT certification.

How many questions are on the fluoroscopy exam?

110: 90 scored questions and 20 pilot questions that do not count, with 120 minutes of test time, by the ARRT 2026 Handbook for State Candidates.

What is a passing score on the fluoroscopy exam?

ARRT reports a scaled score from 1 to 99 and reports its cut score as 75, which is not a percent of questions right. For a state exam, the state reviews the score and decides.

Is this the California fluoroscopy exam?

ARRT gives a Fluoroscopy Supervisor and Operator exam for California permit candidates. Ask the Radiologic Health Branch of the California Department of Public Health which exams your permit needs before you pay an exam fee.

Is this a fluoroscopy exam study guide?

It is a question bank, not a guide. Each answer gives a short reason and the place it was read, so you can open that rule or chapter and study the topic you missed.

More tests

Show 8 more

Browse Safety and Trades