X-ray Operator
As of Jan. 1, 2008, those who are not Licensed Practitioners of the Healing Arts who want to take x-rays on humans in Minnesota and are not already certified to do so, must pass the American Registry of Radiological Technologists (ARRT) Limited Scope X-ray Operator Exam, as specified in Rule parts 4732.0570 to 4732.0585. Those that passed the Minnesota X-ray Operator Exam prior to Jan. 1, 2008 are grandfathered in and do not have to take this exam. Industrial Radiographers should not take the Limited Scope Exam, but instead the Industrial Radiography Exam. A downloadable application is below under Examination Process.
On this page
Examination Process and Exemptions
ARRT Contact, Exam and Certification
Educational Resources
Classes and Online Courses
Examination Process
Limited Scope X-ray Examination or the Bone Densitometry Equipment Operator Examination Instructions:
- Download Application (PDF: 361KB/ 2 pages), complete and send to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
- Include a $100.00 money order or cashiers check payable to “ARRT” with form
- Include a $25.00 money order or cashiers check payable to the “Minnesota Department of Health” with form. We strongly recommend sending this as Certified Mail. Both fees must be mailed to MDH, must be separate certified check or money orders, and are nonrefundable. Combining payments will result in a delay in processing by 60 days. Please allow 30 days for processing between the State and ARRT.
- MDH will review the application, forward approved applications and fee to ARRT, and mail approval letter to the applicant.
- ARRT will send approved applicants appropriate testing materials. Applicants will have 90 days in which to take the test.
- MDH will notify approved applicants of their test scores and issue certification of which areas were passed, passing rate is 70% for the core AND each module. The core plus one module must be passed to satisfy the state requirements.
- If an applicant fails a section, they will need to retest if they want to do x-rays of that anatomical region. If the core is failed, it will need to be retested before any x-rays can be done. The fees will be the same. Once a section is passed, it does not have to be retaken.
Exemptions The following individuals are exempt from taking the Limited Scope X-ray exam: Licensed Practitioners of the Healing Arts, RT’s registered with ARRT, Veterinary techs/assistants, Chiropractic RT, Licensed Dental Assistants, Licensed Dental Hygenists, CRNAs, certified Nuclear Medicine Techs doing PET/SPECT CT, Industrial Radiographers (must take the Industrial Radiography exam), and ARRT Limited Operators from other states.
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ARRT - American Registry of Radiological Technologists
1255 Northland Drive
St. Paul, Minnesota 55120-1155
651-687-0048
Pearson VUE Test Locations
Testing Accommodations guidelines (PDF: 60KB/3 pages)
Testing Accommodations form (PDF: 148KB/1 page)
Limited Scope Exam - The limited scope exam is made up of a core and the following positioning modules: chest, skull/sinus, spine, extremities and podiatry. Total questions, 210. Limited Scope Exam Handbook.
Bone Density Exam - The bone density limited scope exam is made up of a core and the following position modules: finger, heel, forearm, lumbar spine and proximal femur. Total questions, 60. Bone Density Exam Handbook.
Grandfathered In X-ray Operators - If you passed the Minnesota X-ray Operator Exam prior to January 1, 2008, you are grandfathered in and do not have to take the exam. If you need proof of certification, the MDH does not have a copy. Please contact your school, previous employer, or the appropriate test provider below.
| Evalcor | 651-641-0266 |
| Diane Harayda | 612-281-4884 |
| Health Activations | 612-791-2887 |
X-ray Operator Educational Resources
The Minnesota Department of Health, Radiation Control Program X-ray Unit has compiled a list of educational programs from various sources. This list is not exclusive and many other educational resources may be available. The Minnesota Department of Health does not endorse any part of this list and is not responsible for the content of any of these educational sources.
| X-ray Operator textbook course | Eugene Frank 507-285-1319 |
Radiography Essentials for Limited Practice, 3rd edition. Workbook for Radiography Essentials for Limited Practice, 3rd edition. |
| Basic Radiography for X-ray Operators | Patricia Raths rcraths@isd.net |
Adjunct Instructor at Argosy University, Copyright Unpublished Work © Patricia M. Raths |
| X-ray CE | 866-405-9729 | www.xrayce.com |
| Radiological Educational Services | 800-966-0452 | www.reshomestudy.com |
| Radiographic Operations Consulting | 800-929-8709 | www.radedbyroc.com |
| Glacier Valley Medical Education | 360-327-3224 | www.glaciermedicaled.com |
| SelfDirectedCE | Mark Hohman email@selfdirectedce.com |
www.selfdirectedce.com |
| RADUNITS | 812-250-9729 | www.radunits.com |
| The X-Ray Lady | 502-425-0651 | www.x-raylady.com |
Classes Scheduled
| Online Limited Scope X-ray Course |
Jan 9 - Feb 17
| Dakota Cty Tech College Rosemount | Gene Frank 507-285-1319 Gene.Frank@riverland.edu |
| Limited Scope X-ray Course | Feb 25 - Mar 17 | Minnesota School of Business |
Lynne Hendrick 763-367-7043 lhendrick@msbcollege.edu |
| Limited Scope X-ray Course | Mar 22 - May 12 | Anoka Technical College | Laura Cleveland |
| Limited Scope X-ray Course for Medical Facilities | Jan 10 - Mar 1 |
Century College White Bear Lake |
Kathryn Paulson Kathryn.paulson@century.edu www.century.edu 651-779-3341 |
| X-ray Operator Course | Contact for upcoming class schedules | Contact for locations | Pat Raths rcraths@isd.net |
Limited Scope X-ray Course |
28 wks classroom 8 wks externship 36 wks total |
Anthem College |
|
Basic X-Ray Techniques Course |
80 hr course |
Univ of North Dakota |
Kelly Hollands |
| Limited X-ray Machine Operators Course | 88 hour course |
District 6 Health Care Learning Center | Claudia Janecek |
Basic X-Ray Techniques Online Course |
6 wks online 1 wkend clinical |
Bismarck State College |
North Dakota Operator’s exams: We have included the courses for the North Dakota exam as a resource for the Limited Scope exam. In order to be certified as a North Dakota Operator, these courses must be passed, the test given at the end of the course must be passed and a three-month clinical competency period is required. The three-month clinical competency cannot be done in Minnesota.
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Question Bank CD - available for Limited Scope exam questions
Minnesota Radiology Schools - list of schools with Radiology programs
Educational Books
Bone Density
Radiographic Essentials for Limited Practice, by Bruce Long
Bone Densitometry for Technologists, by Sydney Bonnick
Radiation Protection in Medical Radiography
Principles of Radiographic Imaging, by Richard R. Carlton and Arlene McKenna Adler
Radiographic Imaging & Exposure, by Terri L. Fauber
Radiation Protection in Medical Radiography, by Mary Alice Statkiewicz-Sherer
Positioning
Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning, by Eugene D. Frank, Bruce W. Long, and Barbara J. Smith
Bontrager's Pocket Atlas-Handbook of Radiographic Positioning and Techniques, by Kenneth L. Bontrager
Patient Care in Radiology
Patient Care in Radiography, by Ruth Ann Ehrlich, Ellen Doble McCloskey, and Joan A. Daly
X-ray Machine Operator Course textbooks
Radiography Essentials for Limited Practice, by Eugene D. Frank et al
Workbook for Radiography Essentials for Limited Practice, by Eugene D. Frank et al
Basic Radiography
Basic Radiography for X-ray Operators, by Pat Raths
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