X-rays are a standard diagnostic tool, with roughly 600 million of these imaging scans taken in the U.S. each year.1 Training employees to perform basic X-ray services can provide outpatient care facilities with an expanded imaging capacity, allowing full-scope radiography resources to be directed toward more complex, higher-acuity cases.
If you’re considering this approach, here’s what you need to know about limited radiography, including its potential benefits in outpatient care. We also share how Nasium Training’s Limited Scope Radiography training program can prepare your employees for these duties through a combination of online instruction and in-person clinical skills practice.
Limited scope radiography refers to a defined set of radiographic examinations — typically X-rays of the extremities, chest, spine, skull, and feet2 — which, with training, a healthcare professional in another role can perform under supervision. This can include medical assistants, as well as other entry-level healthcare roles, as part of a multi-skilling approach.
Unlike a full scope radiographer (known as a radiologic technologist or RT), a limited radiographer operates within narrower parameters. Their focus is on performing basic X-ray services as opposed to providing more advanced or complex imaging techniques.
Another notable difference is the training needed for each role. While a full scope RT must typically earn an associate degree to enter this field,3 healthcare employees can learn to perform basic X-ray services in a shorter-duration limited scope certificate program, as long as it meets their state’s regulatory requirements.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that radiologic occupations will grow 5% from 2024 to 2034.4 One reason for this growth projection is an aging population, who are at risk of falls and other associated injuries, increasing the demand for diagnostic services.
An increased demand within a profession that is already facing a shortage of trained professionals contributes to a situation that the American Society of Radiologic Technologies (ASRT) calls “the perfect storm.”5 It has led to unprecedented job openings, according to the ASRT, overburdening staff and potentially affecting patient care quality.
Training employees to perform limited X-rays can offer outpatient care facilities several advantages.
ASRT standards indicate that healthcare professionals should not perform limited X-ray machine operator duties without obtaining the education and state licensure or certification required for this role.7 It also recommends that states use the Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography exam administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
The ARRT’s limited scope exam was developed for state licensing purposes.9 It assesses applicants in a variety of knowledge areas important to basic X-ray machine operation. The three core areas tested in the limited scope exam, according to ARRT content specifications, are:9
A limited scope radiography training program covers core topics such as radiographic anatomy, X-ray science, image production, and patient positioning. It also typically provides hands-on training to help healthcare professionals build their clinical skill experience.
Choosing a limited radiography program that includes ARRT exam prep can help employees prepare to sit for this state licensure test, if eligible.10
Outpatient imaging centers, orthopedic clinics, and urgent care departments can utilize limited radiography practitioners for basic X-rays, reserving complex imaging for full scope RTs. During peak hours, cross-trained limited radiographer staff can help manage walk-in X-rays, for instance, minimizing the need to reschedule patients or outsource these services.
Tracking time-to-image, report turnaround, and repeat image rates can provide outpatient care organizations with visibility into the effectiveness of having limited scope radiographers on staff. Patients’ satisfaction with waiting times and access to in-house diagnostics can also provide a clearer picture of the impact of this approach.
Developing standardized positioning guides, exposure parameter ranges, and escalation pathways can help a limited radiographer operate confidently within your practice’s boundaries. Scheduling that mirrors demand — i.e., after-work hours or weekend clinics — can optimize the utilization of these professionals. Regular quality reviews with radiologists and providers, supported by collaborative feedback loops, can be advantageous as well.
As imaging demands grow,4 healthcare professionals trained in limited radiography can enable outpatient practices to increase their X-ray service capacity. It can also free up time for full scope technologists to handle cases with more complex or advanced imaging needs.
Having limited scope radiography professionals on staff can enable outpatient care facilities to deliver timely X-ray imaging tests, strengthening the pipeline of diagnostic information. Additionally, over time, the technologies used to capture these diagnostic images will continue to be updated. A limited scope radiography course can help prepare practitioners to work with the technology available at the current time.
Nasium Training is committed to providing our partners with scalable, flexible healthcare workforce solutions. This includes access to our hybrid Limited Scope Radiography training program, which includes a combination of online instruction and in-person lab practice.
Nasium Training’s high-value approach offers learners wraparound support and academic guidance, including tutoring if needed. Employers also receive weekly progress reports as to their learner’s performance and progress throughout the course.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help prepare your employees to perform basic X-ray services, as well as to discuss how this course can be tailored to address your unique skills gaps, workforce needs, and goals.
Note: The length of Nasium Training’s Limited Scope Radiography course varies based on state regulations, ranging from 14–52 weeks. For example, Florida runs for 14 weeks, but Arizona extends to 52 weeks.
1 ReadMyMRI. How Many Medical Imaging Scans Are Done Per Year?, X-Ray Scan Statistics. https://readmymri.com/blog/how-many-medical-imaging-scans-are-done-per-year
2 ARRT. Limited Scope of Practice Content Outline, p. 8. https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/406ac8c6-58e8-00b3-e3c1-0c312965deb2/7deaf7d9-9770-427b-b9c6-3e6a555020cc/LIM_CSTI_2023.pdf
3 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Radiologic and MRI Technologists. How to Become a Radiologic or MRI Technologist. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-4
4 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Radiologic and MRI Technologists. Job Outlook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-6
5 ASRT. White Paper From the 2024 Consensus Committee on the Future of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, p. 4, para. 1. https://www.asrt.org/docs/default-source/research/whitepapers/2024-consensus-committee-on-the-future-of-medical-imaging-and-radiation-therapy.pdf
6 Danko, T. How to Support Employee Development in Healthcare. HR for Health, Why Is Employee Development in Healthcare Important? https://hrforhealth.com/blog/employee-development-healthcare
7 ASRT. The ASRT Practice Standards for Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, “Education and Certification,” Limited X-ray Machine Operator. https://www.asrt.org/main/standards-and-regulations/professional-practice/practice-standards-online
8 ARRT. State Licensing, “About State Licensing Laws.” https://www.arrt.org/pages/about-the-profession/state-licensing
9 Ibid.
10 Learners must meet eligibility criteria to sit for applicable certification and/or licensure exams.
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