Subchapter E. PERFORMANCE OF RADIOLOGIC PROCEDURES BY AUXILIARY PERSONNEL

§ 18.201. Definitions.

 The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

   ARRT—The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

   Auxiliary personnel—Persons other than a medical doctor, osteopathic doctor, dentist, podiatrist or chiropractor.

   Direct supervision—Directly controlling the performance of a procedure by authorizing performance of that procedure only under the specific instructions of the medical doctor, and monitoring performance of the procedure to ensure compliance with those instructions.

   Ionizing radiation—Gamma rays and X-rays, alpha and beta particles, high-speed electrons, neutrons, protons and other nuclear particles. The term does not include ultrasound, sound or radio waves or visible, infrared or ultraviolet light.

   Premises of a medical doctor—A location at which the medical doctor practices medicine, other than a health care facility regulated by the Department of Health, the Department of Public Welfare or the Federal government.

   Radiologic procedure—The use of ionizing radiation for a diagnostic or therapeutic purpose.

   The provisions of this §  18.201 issued under sections 6 and 8 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6 and 422.8).

 (a)  Auxiliary personnel who take the ARRT Examination in Radiography, and who pass that examination as determined by ARRT, or who have been certified by ARRT, or by another certifying body recognized by the Board, as the result of satisfactory completion of a test and an educational course accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board, as a radiologic technologist in radiography, may apply ionizing radiation to human beings for diagnostic purposes on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe performance of the procedure.

 (b)  Auxiliary personnel who take the ARRT Examination in Radiation Therapy Technology, and who pass that examination as determined by ARRT, or who have been certified by ARRT, or by another certifying body recognized by the Board, as the result of satisfactory completion of a test and an educational course accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board, in radiation therapy technology, may apply ionizing radiation to human beings for therapeutic purposes on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe performance of the procedure. The medical doctor shall be on the premises when a radiographic procedure is performed for a therapeutic purpose by an auxiliary person.

 (c)  Auxiliary personnel who take the ARRT Examination in Nuclear Medicine Technology, and who pass that examination as determined by ARRT, or who have been certified by ARRT, or by another certifying body recognized by the Board, as the result of satisfactory completion of a test and an educational course accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board, in nuclear medicine technology, may use radionuclide agents on human beings for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe performance of the procedure. The medical doctor shall be on the premises when a radionuclide agent is used by an auxiliary person for a therapeutic purpose.

 (d)  Auxiliary personnel who take the ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography, and who receive a score of 70 or higher on that examination as determined by ARRT, may use ionizing radiation on the thorax and extremities of human beings for diagnostic purposes on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe the performance of the procedure. The use of ionizing radiation is restricted to producing radiographs of the thorax and the extremities to demonstrate the following:

   (1)  Ankle.

   (2)  Chest.

   (3)  Clavicle.

   (4)  Elbow.

   (5)  Femur.

   (6)  Foot.

   (7)  Hand.

   (8)  Humerus.

   (9)  Knee.

   (10)  Radius and ulna.

   (11)  Scapula.

   (12)  Shoulder.

   (13)  Soft tissue (foreign body localization).

   (14)  Tibia and fibula.

   (15)  Wrist.

 (e)  Auxiliary personnel who take the ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography—Skull and Sinuses, and who receive a score of 70 or higher on that examination as determined by ARRT, may use ionizing radiation on the skull and sinuses of human beings for diagnostic purposes on the premises of the medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe the performance of the procedure. The use of ionizing radiation is restricted to producing radiographs of the skull and sinuses to demonstrate the following:

   (i)  Facial bones.

   (ii)  Mandible.

   (iii)  Paranasal sinuses.

   (iv)  Skull.

 (f)  Auxiliary personnel who take the Examination in Nuclear Medicine Technology of the Nuclear Medicine Technology College Board, and who pass that examination as determined by the Nuclear Medicine Technology College Board, or who have been certified by the Nuclear Medicine Technology College Board as a radiologic technologist in nuclear medicine technology as the result of satisfactory completion of a test and an educational course accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board, may use radionuclide agents on human beings for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe performance of the procedure. The medical doctor shall be on the premises when a radionuclide agent is used by an auxiliary person for a therapeutic purpose.

 (g)  A person licensed by the State Board of Dentistry as a dental hygienist may use ionizing radiation on the maxilla, mandible and adjacent structures of human beings, to produce radiographs of those structures for diagnostic purposes, on the premises of a medical doctor under the direct supervision of that medical doctor. The medical doctor is not required to personally observe the performance of the procedure.

   The provisions of this §  18.202 issued under sections 6 and 8 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6 and 422.8); section 812.1 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §  279.3a); and amended under sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6, 422.8 and 422.25).

   The provisions of this §  18.202 adopted July 17, 1987, effective July 18, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 3021; amended May 24, 1991, effective May 25, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 2489. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (119274) to (119276).

 (a)  A person may apply to take one or more of the following examinations by securing an application from the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, and by submitting the application and the fee required under §  16.13 (relating to licensure, certification, examination and registration fees) to Health Boards, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Post Office Box 2649, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-2649:

   (1)  ARRT Examination in Radiography.

   (2)  ARRT Examination in Radiation Therapy Technology.

   (3)  ARRT Examination in Nuclear Medicine Technology.

   (4)  ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography.

   (5)  ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography—Skull and Sinuses.

 (b)  The examinations listed in subsection (a) are administered in this Commonwealth on the third Thursday of March, July and October. Applications to the Board for the March examination shall be received by December 31, applications for the July examination shall be received by April 30 and applications for the October examination shall be received by July 31.

 (c)  Applications for the ARRT examinations in radiography, radiation therapy technology and nuclear medicine technology may be filed directly with ARRT. ARRT is a private certifying body and may require the satisfaction of minimum education and training criteria for certification purposes. An examination application may not be filed with ARRT if the applicant wishes to take the ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography or the ARRT Limited Examination in Radiography—Skull and Sinuses, or if the applicant does not qualify for or desire private certification of competence to perform the radiologic procedures covered by the other ARRT certification examinations. Alternatively, an application shall be filed with ARRT and not with the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs if the applicant desires to not only perform radiologic procedures as authorized in §  18.202 (relating to auxiliary personnel performing radiologic procedures), but also desires certification by ARRT in the field of radiologic procedures covered by the examination.

   The provisions of this §  18.203 issued under sections 6 and 8 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6 and 422.8); section 812.1 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §  279.3a); and amended under sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6, 422.8 and 422.25).

   The provisions of this §  18.203 adopted July 17, 1987, effective July 18, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 3021; amended May 24, 1991, effective May 25, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 2489. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (119276) to (119277).

 The Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs will begin accepting applications to take examinations set forth in §  18.203(a) (relating to applications for examination) prior to July 18, 1987. Under section 45 of the act (63 P. S. §  422.45), on and after January 1, 1988, no auxiliary person may administer radiologic procedures on the premises of a medical doctor except as set forth in this subchapter and section 45 of the act.

   The provisions of this §  18.204 issued under sections 6 and 8 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § §  422.6 and 422.8); and section 812.1 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §  279.3a).

   The provisions of this §  18.204 adopted July 17, 1987, effective July 18, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 3021.