- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- Exam Format Snapshot
- The Scoring Fact Everyone Gets Wrong
- The Ten Content Components and Their Question Counts
- High-Value Topics in the Two Biggest Components
- The Smaller Components That Still Cost Points
- Eligibility Snapshot and the Experience Conflict
- Fee and Registration Mechanics
- Test-Day Rules
- After You Pass: Renewal vs. Recertification
- A Sequencing Plan Built Around the Question Counts
- FAQ
- The initial exam is 200 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours 30 minutes, with a scaled passing score of 75.
- Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Image Evaluation carries 75 items; Medical Imaging Procedures adds 40 more.
- The CBRPA states the eligibility experience requirement two ways (five years vs. three); confirm with the issuer before applying.
- Off-site proctoring costs USD 200 extra and covers four billed proctor hours, not four hours of exam time.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This page is a compressed review of the initial Radiology Practitioner Assistant examination administered by the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants (CBRPA). It is built for a final-week skim: the numbers, the rules, and the content map you should be able to recite without notes. The facts here were reviewed against CBRPA materials in October 2026.
One scope note matters. "RPA" appears as an acronym in several unrelated fields, and this site is concerned only with the Radiology Practitioner Assistant credential. Nothing here concerns robotic process automation, the ARRT's R.R.A. designation, or other credentials that happen to share the letters. If you are new to the term, What Is RPA? and What Does RPA Stand For? sort out the naming. This sheet also covers the initial exam only; the separate ten-year recertification exam is touched on near the end so you don't confuse the two.
Exam Format Snapshot
| Item | Initial RPA Examination |
|---|---|
| Issuer | Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants (CBRPA) |
| Delivery | Secure computer examination with an institutional proctor |
| Sites | Weber State University, or an approved off-site college/university |
| Questions | 200 multiple-choice |
| Time allowed | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Passing standard | Scaled score of 75 |
| Image-based content | 20% of questions use actual cases |
| Case studies | Nine identified in the content specifications |
| Permitted materials | No books, no personal calculators |
Run the pacing math once and remember it: 200 questions in 210 minutes leaves roughly a minute and three-quarters per item on average. That sounds comfortable until you hit an image-based case that requires reading a study, and about one question in five is that type. Plan to bank time on straightforward recall items and spend it on the image-based ones. For a read on relative difficulty, see How Hard Is the RPA Exam?
The Scoring Fact Everyone Gets Wrong
The practical consequence is simple: aim for mastery across the board rather than a target number of right answers. For a fuller treatment, read RPA Passing Score: Exactly What You Need to Pass. And if you're searching for a headline pass rate, note that the data conversation is covered in RPA Pass Rate: What the Data Shows; this cheat sheet deliberately does not quote one.
A related trap: the ten-year recertification exam does use a 75% raw-score criterion. That is a different test with a different scoring statement. Don't carry it back to the initial exam.
The Ten Content Components and Their Question Counts
The CBRPA content specifications publish a question count for each of ten components. The table below preserves the summary-table names and the published counts, in listed order. The CBRPA does not present these as percentage weights, so none are shown here.
| # | Component | Published Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patient Education | 6 |
| 2 | Patient Assessment and Management | 25 |
| 3 | Professional Communication | 10 |
| 4 | Pharmacology and Contrast | 20 |
| 5 | Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Image Evaluation | 75 |
| 6 | Medical Imaging Procedures | 40 |
| 7 | Radiation Biology and Health Physics | 8 |
| 8 | Fluoroscopic Equipment and Operation | 8 |
| 9 | Medical Documentation and Records | 4 |
| 10 | Medical-Legal Circumstances | 4 |
The counts sum to 200, matching the exam length. Two quirks are worth knowing. First, the detailed-section labels in the specifications differ from the summary-table labels for components 1, 7, 9 and 10; if you see slightly different wording in the detailed outline, you are looking at the same component. Second, these are exam content-component headings, not a prescribed study curriculum, so your preparation plan can slice the material differently as long as it covers all of it. The full walkthrough lives in RPA Exam Domains: Complete Guide to All 10 Content Areas.
High-Value Topics in the Two Biggest Components
Together, components 5 and 6 account for 115 of the 200 questions. That is more than half the exam in two buckets, so any cheat sheet should lean on them.
Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Image Evaluation (75 questions)
The single largest component, and the one where the image-based cases are most likely to show up. Candidates must move from "what is this structure" to "what is abnormal and why."
- Normal anatomy and physiology across body systems, as demonstrated on imaging.
- Pathophysiology: how disease processes alter the normal appearance and function you just reviewed.
- Image evaluation: recognizing abnormal findings on radiographic and fluoroscopic studies.
- Pairing a finding with its likely underlying process, which is how case-style items are typically framed.
Medical Imaging Procedures (40 questions)
Procedure-level knowledge: what the study is, why it is ordered, and how it is performed safely.
- Indications and appropriate use of imaging examinations.
- Patient preparation, positioning logic, and procedural sequence.
- Recognizing complications and when a study must be modified or stopped.
- How procedure choice connects to the clinical question being asked.
The Smaller Components That Still Cost Points
It is tempting to ignore the 4- and 6-question components. Resist that. Because the standard is a scaled score, a cluster of misses in the smaller areas still drags the total, and these topics are usually the fastest to master.
Patient Assessment and Management (25) and Pharmacology and Contrast (20)
The next two largest, and the most clinical in flavor.
- Assessing patient status before, during, and after a procedure.
- Recognizing and responding to adverse reactions and changes in condition.
- Contrast agents: indications, precautions, and reaction management.
- Medications relevant to the imaging environment.
Radiation Biology and Health Physics (8) and Fluoroscopic Equipment and Operation (8)
Short components that reward clean recall.
- Biological effects of radiation and the principles of protecting patients and staff.
- Fluoroscopic equipment function and safe operation.
- Dose-awareness concepts as they apply to fluoroscopic work.
Patient Education (6), Professional Communication (10), Documentation and Records (4), Medical-Legal Circumstances (4)
Together these are 24 questions, and most are judgment-and-vocabulary items.
- Explaining procedures, risks, and instructions to patients in clear terms.
- Communicating findings and concerns appropriately within the care team.
- Accurate, timely medical documentation and records handling.
- Legal and ethical boundaries of practice, including consent and scope.
Eligibility Snapshot and the Experience Conflict
The listed eligibility elements are: active ARRT radiographer status; a CBRPA-recognized academic program with a baccalaureate requirement; radiologist-supervised clinical competencies; and current ACLS. Candidates who have completed the professional curriculum may test within six months before baccalaureate completion, with results held until the degree is complete.
For the full qualification picture, see RPA Requirements: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you are weighing the credential against your career plans, RPA Jobs and Is the RPA Certification Worth It? are the right next reads.
Fee and Registration Mechanics
| Charge | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial exam fee | Not verified | The CBRPA fee-and-policy link returned a 404, and the application lists no amount |
| Off-site proctoring | USD 200 | In addition to the exam fee; covers four billed proctor hours |
| Retest application | USD 200 | Listed in the Candidate Handbook |
| Annual renewal | USD 150 | Due during your birth month |
Three details deserve emphasis. The current initial exam fee could not be confirmed from CBRPA pages, and the retest and proctoring charges are not stand-ins for it, so get the figure from the CBRPA before budgeting. Second, the four proctor hours billed for off-site testing are a billing unit, not a promise of four hours of exam time; your written exam allowance is still 3 hours 30 minutes. Third, the proctoring charge applies to off-site testing only and is stacked on top of the exam fee. A fuller budget view is in RPA Certification Cost: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and scheduling details are in RPA Exam Dates: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Test-Day Rules
- Identification: bring two IDs, at least one of which is photographic.
- Materials: books and personal calculators are prohibited, so any math has to be done by reasoning or by what the testing environment provides.
- Proctor: the exam is delivered under an institutional proctor, either at Weber State University or an approved off-site college or university.
- Clock: 210 minutes total for 200 questions; flag and return rather than stalling on a hard image-based item.
Key Takeaway
Do a dry run of your ID situation a week out. Confirm both documents are current and that one carries your photograph, and confirm the exact testing location and proctor arrangements with your institution so nothing about logistics competes with the exam for your attention.
After You Pass: Renewal vs. Recertification
This is where candidates blur two separate systems, so keep them apart.
| Item | Annual Renewal | Ten-Year Recertification |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | USD 150, during birth month | USD 75 (per published policy) |
| Requirements | ARRT standing, ACLS, continuing-education compliance | A separate examination |
| Exam format | None | 50 questions, three hours, open book |
| Passing criterion | Not applicable | 75% raw score |
On continuing education, the sources use different framings that you should preserve rather than merge. The Candidate Handbook specifies 24 CE credits per two years, while the separate recertification policy specifies 12 relevant credits annually. They are scheduled differently, so don't treat them as interchangeable; confirm with the CBRPA which schedule applies to your situation. And remember: none of the recertification specifications (open book, 50 questions, 75% raw score) describe the initial exam you are preparing for now.
A Sequencing Plan Built Around the Question Counts
If you only have time for one planning idea, sequence your weeks by where the points are. The timeline below is a template for a six-week run; stretch or compress as your schedule allows. For a broader preparation framework, see RPA Study Guide: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and the RPA Exam Prep practice tests let you rehearse the format.
Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Image Evaluation
- The 75-question block comes first because it is the biggest and the slowest to build.
- Alternate normal structure with pathology so you practice recognizing deviation.
- Include image-based review early, since about 20% of the exam uses actual cases.
Medical Imaging Procedures
- Tie each procedure back to the anatomy you just studied.
- Rehearse indications, preparation, and complications for each study.
Patient Assessment and Pharmacology/Contrast
- Group the two clinical components (25 and 20 questions) since reactions and assessment overlap.
- Drill contrast precautions and reaction recognition.
The Short Components
- Radiation biology, fluoroscopy, communication, education, documentation, and medical-legal topics.
- These are compact, so you can cover them in a single concentrated week.
Timed Mixed Practice
- Take full-length timed sets mirroring 200 questions in 3 hours 30 minutes.
- Review misses by component to see where the remaining gaps are.
That is the only generic planning advice in this sheet, and it is tied to the published counts on purpose: the schedule front-loads the components that carry the most questions. For a gut check on whether your preparation is on track, take a timed set on the RPA Exam Prep practice test site and sort your results by component. For deeper background on the credential itself, RPA Certification and What Is RPA Certification? are good companions, and RPA Salary Guide covers compensation context.
FAQ
The initial Radiology Practitioner Assistant exam has 200 multiple-choice questions and allows 3 hours 30 minutes. About 20% of the questions use image-based actual cases, and the content specifications identify nine case studies.
No. The passing standard is a scaled score of 75, not 75% correct. The separate ten-year recertification exam uses a 75% raw-score criterion, but that policy does not describe the initial exam.
Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Image Evaluation has the most questions at 75, followed by Medical Imaging Procedures at 40. Patient Assessment and Management (25) and Pharmacology and Contrast (20) come next. The CBRPA publishes counts, not official percentage weights.
No. The USD 200 off-site proctoring charge is paid in addition to the exam fee and covers four billed proctor hours. Your written exam time remains 3 hours 30 minutes.
The published sources conflict: the CBRPA qualifications webpage says five years, while the Candidate Handbook says three. Because the issuer has not reconciled the two in the materials reviewed, contact the CBRPA to confirm before relying on either threshold.