ACR ASRT Joint Policy Statement - Radiologist Assistant: Roles and Responsibilities


A radiologist assistant is an advanced-level radiologic technologist who works under the supervision of a radiologist to enhance patient care by assisting the radiologist in the diagnostic imaging environment. The radiologist assistant is an ARRT-certified radiographer who has successfully completed an advanced academic program** encompassing a nationally recognized radiologist assistant curriculum and a radiologist-directed clinical preceptorship. Under radiologist supervision, the radiologist assistant performs patient assessment, patient management and selected exams (as outlined below).

  • Obtaining consent for and injecting agents that facilitate and/or enable diagnostic imaging
  • Obtaining clinical history from patient or medical record
  • Performing pre-procedure and post-procedure evaluation of patients undergoing invasive procedures
  • Assisting radiologists with invasive procedures
  • Performing fluoroscopy for non-invasive procedures with the radiologist providing direct1 supervision of the service
  • Monitoring and tailoring selected exams under direct2 supervision (e.g. IVU, CT urogram, GI studies, VCUG, and retrograde urethrograms)
  • Communicating the reports of radiologist''s findings to the referring physician or an appropriate representative with appropriate documentation
  • Providing naso-enteric and oro-enteric feeding tube placement in uncomplicated patients
  • Performing selected peripheral venous diagnostic procedures

The radiologist assistant will not perform interpretations (preliminary, final or otherwise) of any radiological examination, nor will he or she transmit observations other than to the supervising radiologist. The radiologist assistant may make initial observations of diagnostic images and forward them to the supervising radiologist.

The education of the radiologist assistant should be granted through nationally recognized academic programs that lead to certification through the ARRT. Advisory committees to such programs should include representation of radiologists.

The radiologist assistant should actively participate in a facility quality assurance program.

Any formal national or state certification or credentialing of RA competency should include the representation of radiologists. Any facility RA credentialing process should involve radiologists.

The ACR believes that the advent of the radiologist assistant, with defined responsibilities as described herein, will enhance the performance of radiological procedures and patient care and also provide a professionally satisfying career pathway for radiologic technologists.

1, 2The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) direct supervision requirement states that the "physician is required on site and immediately available."

**Note: "advanced academic program" means a baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate program.

May 2003