ARRT category · 11% of exam
Extremity Procedures
Tests positioning and projections for the upper and lower extremities, fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, humerus, shoulder, foot, ankle, knee, and femur. Approximately 11% of the ARRT exam.
Sample question
One free question from the 105-question Extremity bank. Read it, pick your answer, then expand the rationale.
A patient presents with wrist pain after falling on an outstretched hand. The PA, lateral, and oblique wrist projections appear normal but clinical suspicion for scaphoid fracture remains. What additional projection should be performed?
Show answer and full rationale
Correct answer: B. Stecher method
A, Incorrect: The carpal tunnel projection demonstrates the carpal tunnel itself, not the scaphoid in particular.
B, Correct: Correct. The Stecher method (PA wrist with ulnar deviation, central ray angled 20° proximally toward the elbow) elongates the scaphoid and reveals fractures missed on routine PA. It is the standard supplementary view for suspected scaphoid fracture.
C, Incorrect: AP oblique medial rotation is for the elbow, not the wrist. Wrist obliques are routinely lateral rotation.
D, Incorrect: Radial deviation does not elongate the scaphoid. Ulnar deviation is required for the Stecher.
Topics tested in this category
- Hand series (PA, PA oblique, lateral)
- Wrist series and the Stecher (scaphoid)
- Elbow series and trauma protocols
- Shoulder routines (AP int/ext rotation, Grashey, scapular Y)
- Foot, ankle, mortise projections
- Knee series, Holmblad, Camp-Coventry, Settegast
- Hip and Danelius-Miller cross-table
- Common fractures (Colles, Boxer's, Jones, Pott)
- Pediatric extremity considerations
Drill the full 105-question bank.
Free tier includes 50 mixed-category questions. Premium unlocks all 1,814 ARRT-style questions, 3 timed mock exams, and adaptive drill sessions in this category.
Frequently asked questions
How many Extremity questions are on the ARRT Radiography Boards?
The Extremity Procedures category accounts for approximately 11% of the ARRT Radiography Boards exam, that's roughly 22 of the 200 scored questions on each administration. The full Radtechprepper practice bank contains 105 questions in this category, giving you ample room to drill until the patterns are second nature.
What topics are tested in the Extremity category?
The Extremity category tests: Hand series (PA, PA oblique, lateral); Wrist series and the Stecher (scaphoid); Elbow series and trauma protocols; Shoulder routines (AP int/ext rotation, Grashey, scapular Y); Foot, ankle, mortise projections. The full topic list is in the ARRT Radiography Content Specifications 2025.
How should I study for the Extremity category?
Start with the chapter overviews in this curriculum that map to Extremity, they cover the core concepts in plain English. Then drill questions in the practice bank, pause on every miss, read the rationale, and re-drill the same topic the next day. The ARRT exam rewards spaced repetition more than cram studying.