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Free ARRT CT Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Computed Tomography (ARRT CT) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free ARRT CT practice test to study every exam domain.

These 10 free ARRT CT questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Computed Tomography blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Patient Care (through 2026-08-31: 22 scored; effective 2026-09-01: 21 scored)

Question 1

A patient develops diffuse urticaria, audible wheezing, and tachycardia within 3 minutes of receiving IV iodinated contrast. Which medication should the technologist prepare FIRST?

  1. Diphenhydramine 50 mg IV as commonly understood
  2. Atropine 0.6 mg IV in the typical case
  3. Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM for this purpose
  4. Albuterol via nebulizer as ordinarily interpreted
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM for this purpose

Domain 2: Safety (through 2026-08-31: 22 scored; effective 2026-09-01: 21 scored)

Question 2

A CT scan is performed with the following parameters: CTDIw of 24 mGy, pitch of 1.5, and scan length of 30 cm. What is the dose-length product (DLP) for this examination?

  1. 360 mGy·cm under standard market practice
  2. 480 mGy·cm under standard market practice
  3. 720 mGy·cm in the typical case
  4. 1,080 mGy·cm as commonly understood
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 480 mGy·cm under standard market practice

Question 3

Which photon interaction with matter is PRIMARILY responsible for subject contrast in CT imaging?

  1. Compton scattering for this purpose
  2. Coherent scattering in the typical case
  3. Pair production in the standard framework
  4. Photoelectric absorption under accepted convention
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Photoelectric absorption under accepted convention

Domain 3: Image Production (through 2026-08-31: 50 scored; effective 2026-09-01: 52 scored)

Question 4

A technologist decreases the display field of view (DFOV) from 350 mm to 250 mm while using a 512 × 512 matrix. Which of the following will result from this change?

  1. Decreased spatial resolution as commonly understood
  2. Increased image noise in this context
  3. Smaller pixel size under applicable rules
  4. Wider anatomic coverage under accepted convention
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Smaller pixel size under applicable rules

Question 5

A technologist needs to create a 3D postprocessed image that demonstrates the full extent of a renal artery for surgical planning. Which rendering technique retains the MOST diagnostic information?

  1. Maximum intensity projection under accepted convention
  2. Shaded surface display in this context
  3. Volume rendering for this purpose
  4. Minimum intensity projection as commonly understood
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Volume rendering for this purpose

Domain 4: Procedures (through 2026-08-31: 71 scored; effective 2026-09-01: 71 scored)

Question 6

A CT image of the posterior fossa demonstrates dark bands extending between the petrous ridges. This artifact is MOST likely caused by:

  1. Detector element miscalibration
  2. Insufficient tube warm-up as ordinarily interpreted
  3. Beam hardening from dense bone
  4. Partial volume averaging under applicable rules
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Beam hardening from dense bone

More ARRT CT practice questions

Question 7

During a multiphase liver CT, a focal hepatic lesion demonstrates hyperenhancement in the arterial phase and becomes hypodense relative to the surrounding liver parenchyma in the portal venous phase. This enhancement pattern is MOST characteristic of:

  1. Hepatic hemangioma as ordinarily interpreted
  2. Hepatocellular carcinoma in the standard framework
  3. Simple hepatic cyst under accepted convention
  4. Focal nodular hyperplasia as commonly understood
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Hepatocellular carcinoma in the standard framework

Question 8

A patient is scheduled for coronary CT angiography (CCTA). The current heart rate is 78 bpm. In addition to administering a beta-blocker, which medication is given immediately before scanning to improve coronary visualization?

  1. Sublingual nitroglycerin under applicable rules
  2. Oral diltiazem as ordinarily interpreted
  3. IV adenosine in this context
  4. Sublingual atropine for this purpose
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Sublingual nitroglycerin under applicable rules

Question 9

When performing CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for suspected pulmonary embolism, the scan direction should be:

  1. Cranial to caudal to follow contrast flow for this purpose
  2. Caudal to cranial to reduce lower lobe motion artifact
  3. Alternating bidirectional for uniform enhancement
  4. Cranial to caudal to match injector timing when applied properly
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Caudal to cranial to reduce lower lobe motion artifact

Question 10

On CT perfusion imaging of the brain, an area demonstrating decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) with maintained cerebral blood volume (CBV) represents:

  1. Completed core infarction when applied properly
  2. Normal perfused brain tissue under accepted convention
  3. Ischemic penumbra when applied properly
  4. Chronic watershed infarct as ordinarily interpreted
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Ischemic penumbra when applied properly

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