“Nuclear medicine technologist” means an individual who performs nuclear medicine procedures while under the supervision of an authorized user. The classifications are as follows:
- General nuclear medicine technologist performs any nuclear medicine procedures and may perform computed tomography for attenuation correction during PET/CT or SPECT/CT only.
- Limited nuclear medicine technologist performs nuclear medicine procedures only as approved by the department at the time the initial permit was issued. (This classification is now closed to new applicants.)
“Nuclear medicine procedure” means any procedure utilizing radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis or treatment of disease in human beings and any duties performed by the technologist during sealed source procedures, and includes, but is not limited to:
- Administration of any radiopharmaceutical to human beings for diagnostic purposes.
- Administration of radioactive material to human beings for therapeutic purposes.
- Use of radioactive material for diagnostic purposes involving transmission or excitation.
- Quality control and quality assurance.
"Authorized user” means an Iowa-licensed physician identified on a specific radioactive materials license or license of broad scope as defined in 641-subrule 41.2(2).
“NMTCB” means Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board.
“ARRT” means the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
"PET/CT" means an imaging modality that uses positron emission tomography and computed tomography in one device to combine the structural anatomic information with functional data collected during the examination.
"SPECT/CT" means an imaging modality that uses single-photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography in one device to combine the structural anatomic information with functional data collected during the examination.
Schools
ARRT recognized schools in nuclear medicine can be found at www.arrt.org. Click on “Educators and Students”, then “Educational Programs”.
NMTCB recognized schools can be found at www.nmtcb.org. Click on “Nuclear Medicine exam”, then “Nuclear medicine schools”.
Testing Requirements
Proof of a passing score on ARRT’s nuclear medicine examination or the NMTCB nuclear medicine examination.
Applications
To apply for or renew a permit to practice visit the regulatory programs page at Regulatory Programs - Permit to Practice
To apply for a nuclear medicine diagnostic computed tomography endorsement, submit proof of a passing score on the ARRT or NMTCB computed tomography examination to Iowa HHS with your request.
Your renewal application should be submitted approximately 45 days before your permit expires.
Continuing Education Requirements for Nuclear Medicine Technologists
General - Report 24.0 hours obtained within the biennium indicated on your permit.
Limited - Report 12.0 hours obtained within the biennium indicated on your permit.
- You must report the hours with your renewal application on the year your CEs are due.
- CE is due at the time of renewal. Failure to complete the hours will result in an expired permit and you will not be allowed to perform nuclear medicine studies.
- You may submit proof of activities recognized by the ARRT or NMTCB.
- Activities may be lectures or self-studies. The same lecture may be repeated only once in a biennium. The self-study activity may not be repeated.
- Acceptable proof of completion must be documentation signed and dated by the CE provider that includes the participant’s name, title of the activity, approval number for the activity, dates of attendance, number of contact hours for the activity, the name of the approving organization, and signature of the sponsor or instructor or authorized representative of the sponsor or instructor.
- It is your responsibility to make sure that your proof of completion meets the requirements.
- You must maintain proof of continuing education for at least 3 years.
- Continuing education obtained to satisfy disciplinary or enforcement action or as part of a corrective action plan may not be reported to meet continuing education requirements.
- All permit holders are subject to a department audit at any time.