Radiology credentials are listed after your name in a specific, conventional order: highest earned degree first, followed by licensure designations, then national certifications, and finally any specialty fellowships or honorary suffixes. The exact string of letters depends on whether you are a physician radiologist, a radiologic technologist, a sonographer, or another imaging professional, but the sequencing principle is the same across all roles. Getting this right matters more than it might seem, since your credential line often serves as the first signal of your qualifications on reports, name badges, and professional correspondence.
The Universal Ordering Rule
Regardless of your specific role in radiology, credentials follow one consistent hierarchy after your name. Think of it as four tiers, always in this order:
- Earned degrees: Academic degrees you completed at a university or college. These always come first. Examples include MD, DO, PhD, MS, MSRS, AS, BS, and EdD.
- Licensure: State-granted permission to practice, such as RPA (Radiology Practitioner Assistant) or state radiologic technologist licenses in states that issue distinct letter designations.
- Certifications: National credentials earned by passing a qualifying exam from a recognized certifying body. In radiology, the most common come from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Examples include RT(R), RT(CT), RDMS, and RVT.
- Fellowships and honors: Professional society recognitions that come last. FASRT (Fellow of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists) is the most common example on the technologist side.
This order is not arbitrary. It reflects a hierarchy of effort and scope: a degree represents years of formal education, a license represents legal authority to practice, a certification represents demonstrated competence in a defined area, and a fellowship represents peer recognition. If you remember nothing else, remember this sequence: degree, license, certification, honor.
Credentials for Physician Radiologists
If you are a physician radiologist, your credential line is usually shorter than a technologist’s but carries its own conventions. The most common format is simply your name followed by MD or DO. Board certification from the American Board of Radiology (ABR) is assumed for practicing radiologists in most clinical settings and is not typically appended as a letter suffix after your name. Instead, physicians note board certification status separately on CVs, hospital credentialing forms, and professional profiles.
A diagnostic radiologist who also holds a PhD would write it as: Jane Smith, MD, PhD. The medical degree comes first because it is typically the degree most relevant to clinical practice, though some institutions place the PhD first if the individual’s primary role is research. A physician who has completed a fellowship in a subspecialty like interventional radiology or neuroradiology generally does not add a fellowship abbreviation after their name in routine clinical use. Instead, fellowship training is listed on a CV or professional biography.
Where physician credentials get more complex is in academic medicine. A radiologist who holds a faculty appointment might include FACR (Fellow of the American College of Radiology) after their degree. That would look like: Jane Smith, MD, FACR. If the same physician also holds a master’s degree in public health, it becomes: Jane Smith, MD, MPH, FACR. The earned degrees cluster together first, then the honorary fellowship follows.
Credentials for Radiologic Technologists
Radiologic technologists tend to accumulate more post-name letters than physicians, because each imaging modality you are certified in gets its own designation. The ARRT uses a format where “RT” is followed by a parenthetical abbreviation for the specific discipline. The primary certification in general radiography is RT(R). From there, additional modality certifications stack up.
Some of the most common ARRT credential suffixes include:
- RT(R): Radiography (the foundational certification for X-ray technologists)
- RT(CT): Computed Tomography
- RT(MR): Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- RT(M): Mammography
- RT(T): Radiation Therapy
- RT(N): Nuclear Medicine Technology
- RT(BD): Bone Densitometry
- RT(CI): Cardiac Interventional Radiography
- RT(VI): Vascular Interventional Radiography
- RT(QM): Quality Management
A technologist who has earned multiple ARRT certifications lists them all, typically in the order they were obtained or in alphabetical order by the parenthetical abbreviation. So a technologist with a bachelor’s degree, general radiography certification, and CT certification would write: John Doe, BS, RT(R)(CT). Notice the degree comes first, then the certifications. If that same technologist later earned ARRT mammography certification, it would become: John Doe, BS, RT(R)(CT)(M).
The “RT” is written once, with the modality abbreviations stacking in parentheses after it. You do not repeat RT for each modality. Writing “RT(R), RT(CT)” with a comma between them is a common mistake. The correct format groups them: RT(R)(CT).
Credentials for Sonographers and Vascular Technologists
Diagnostic medical sonographers and vascular technologists are credentialed through the ARDMS rather than the ARRT, and their suffix format is different. Instead of the RT(X) structure, ARDMS uses standalone abbreviations.
- RDMS: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
- RDCS: Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer
- RVT: Registered Vascular Technologist
- RMSKS: Registered Musculoskeletal Sonographer
A sonographer holding multiple ARDMS credentials separates them with commas: Maria Garcia, AS, RDMS, RVT. The associate degree comes first, then each ARDMS certification follows. If a sonographer also holds an ARRT credential (some professionals cross-certify), both registries’ credentials appear, with degree first, then ARRT, then ARDMS: Maria Garcia, BS, RT(R), RDMS, RVT.
When You Hold Credentials From Multiple Registries
It is increasingly common for imaging professionals to hold certifications from more than one organization. A nuclear medicine technologist, for example, might hold RT(N) from the ARRT and CNMT from the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB). In that case, group the ARRT credentials together first, then follow with the NMTCB credential: Alex Park, BS, RT(N), CNMT.
The guiding principle is to keep credentials from the same issuing body together. This makes the credential line easier to parse at a glance. If you also hold a specialty certification from another body, such as Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) from the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators, it follows the clinical certifications: Alex Park, BS, RT(R), CRA.
There is no hard rule about how many credentials you should display. Some professionals list every certification they hold, while others limit their credential line to the most relevant ones for their current role. A technologist working exclusively in MRI might list only RT(R)(MR) even if they also hold CT and mammography certifications. Context matters: a business card might carry fewer letters than a professional biography or a conference speaker introduction.
Common Formatting Mistakes
Several errors come up repeatedly when imaging professionals write their credentials. Knowing what to avoid is almost as useful as knowing the correct format.
Placing certifications before degrees is the most frequent mistake. Your degree always comes first, no matter how proud you are of a hard-won certification. Writing RT(R) before your BS reverses the established hierarchy and looks odd to anyone familiar with the convention.
Another common error is adding periods between letters. The standard in healthcare credentials is to omit periods: write BS, not B.S.; write RT, not R.T. This convention has shifted over the past few decades, and while older style guides sometimes included periods, current professional usage in radiology almost universally drops them.
Mixing up ARRT formatting is also widespread. As noted above, multiple ARRT modalities stack in consecutive parentheses after a single RT. Writing them as separate comma-delimited entries, or dropping the parentheses entirely, is incorrect. RT(R)(CT) is right. RT-R, CT or RTR, RTCT are wrong.
Finally, some technologists include their state license number or abbreviation in their credential line. State licensure is important for legal practice, but it is generally not included as a post-name letter unless your state issues a specific credential abbreviation meant for that purpose. Most states do not. Check your state’s radiologic technology licensing board for guidance on whether they expect a post-name abbreviation.
Why Credentials Matter for Patient Communication
You might wonder whether patients actually notice or care about the letters after your name. Research on role clarity in healthcare suggests the answer is complicated. A study at a large academic medical center found that while the vast majority of patients and nurses agreed that knowing a team member’s level of training is important for patient safety, patients were less confident than nurses or trainees that a description of one’s specific role and training level matters for care quality.
The same study revealed a striking disconnect: patients almost unanimously said they knew the specific role of their physician, but more than a quarter of trainees and over three-quarters of nurses felt that perception was inaccurate.1PubMed Central. What’s in a Name? Role Clarity Goes Well Beyond a Simple Title In radiology, where patients often interact briefly with technologists during imaging procedures and may never meet the interpreting radiologist face-to-face, clear credentials on name badges and reports are one of the few cues patients have about who is providing their care. After a new badge system was introduced at that institution, both trainees and nurses perceived improved staff awareness of training levels.1PubMed Central. What’s in a Name? Role Clarity Goes Well Beyond a Simple Title
For radiologists and technologists alike, the credential line is not vanity. It helps colleagues, patients, and referring physicians understand at a glance what kind of professional they are dealing with and what scope of practice that person operates within.
How Credentials Appear on Radiology Reports
Radiology reports are legal medical documents, and the credentials displayed on them carry weight. For physician radiologists, the signature block on an interpreted study typically reads something like “Jane Smith, MD” or “Jane Smith, DO,” sometimes followed by the subspecialty (“Neuroradiology”) or board certification status. Institutions vary in how much they include in the signature block; some add FACR or other society fellowship designations, while others keep it minimal.
Technologists who perform the imaging exam are often identified separately on the report, usually with their full credential string. This is partly for quality assurance and partly for regulatory compliance: accreditation bodies like the American College of Radiology and The Joint Commission expect clear documentation of who performed and who interpreted each study. Having your credentials listed accurately matters not just for professional pride but for meeting these institutional and legal requirements.
Academic and Research Settings
In academic radiology, the credential line can stretch considerably. A physician radiologist who holds both clinical and research roles might write: Jane Smith, MD, PhD, MBA, FACR. The degrees go first in the order most relevant to the individual’s primary professional identity, followed by honorary or society designations. If you hold a faculty appointment, your academic title (e.g., Professor of Radiology) is typically listed on a separate line underneath your name and credentials rather than being appended to the credential string itself.
For radiologic science educators, credential lines also tend to be longer. A program director for a radiologic technology program might hold: John Doe, EdD, RT(R)(CT), FASRT. The doctoral degree leads, followed by the clinical certifications, then the ASRT fellowship. In this context, the EdD signals academic standing, the RT credentials signal clinical competence, and the FASRT signals professional service and recognition.
Conference presentations and published papers are another context where your credential line appears, and different journals have different formatting preferences. Some journals ask for only the highest degree, others request all credentials. Always check the submission guidelines rather than assuming your standard credential line will be used as-is.
Radiology Assistants and Advanced Practice Roles
The radiology practitioner assistant (RPA) and the radiology assistant (RA) are advanced practice roles for radiologic technologists who have completed additional graduate-level education. These roles carry their own credential conventions.
A Registered Radiology Assistant holds the credential RRA, issued by the ARRT after completing a recognized RA program and passing a certification exam. The typical credential line would be: Sarah Lee, MS, RT(R), RRA. The master’s degree comes first, then the base radiography certification, then the advanced practice certification. The RRA credential signals that this professional can perform certain procedures under physician supervision that fall outside the standard technologist scope of practice, such as fluoroscopy procedures and preliminary image assessment.
RPAs credentialed through the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants use the RPA designation similarly: Tom Chen, MS, RT(R), RPA. In practice, institutional credentialing committees will verify these advanced-practice certifications independently, but listing them correctly after your name helps establish your role from the outset.
Keeping Credentials Current
One practical concern that many imaging professionals overlook is what happens to your credential line when a certification lapses. Both the ARRT and ARDMS require continuing education and periodic renewal to maintain active certification. If you let a credential expire, you lose the right to use that post-name designation. Listing an expired certification is not just misleading; in many states with licensure laws, it can create legal and regulatory problems.
The ARRT requires completion of continuing education credits within a defined reporting period and a renewal of registration to maintain your RT credentials. ARDMS similarly requires continuing medical education credits for each credential you hold. If you hold credentials from multiple bodies, tracking renewal timelines for each one becomes an ongoing administrative task. Some professionals set up calendar reminders a year in advance of each renewal deadline to avoid accidental lapses.
If you do let a certification expire and later reinstate it, you can resume using the credential after reinstatement is complete. During the lapse period, though, you should remove the letters from your name badge, email signature, and any professional documents. This is one of those areas where getting it wrong can have consequences beyond embarrassment: credentialing committees at hospitals and imaging centers verify active certification status, and discrepancies between what you claim and what the registry confirms can delay or derail employment.
Digital Signatures and Email Conventions
Your email signature block is probably the place where your credentials get the most daily visibility. The same ordering rules apply here as anywhere else: degree, licensure, certification, honors. Many professionals also include their job title on a separate line beneath their name and credentials, along with their department and institution.
A clean email signature for a radiologic technologist might look like this: your name on the first line with credentials (e.g., John Doe, BS, RT(R)(MR)), your job title on the second line (e.g., Senior MRI Technologist), and your department and institution on the third. Resist the temptation to add every professional membership or committee appointment to your email signature. Professional memberships like ASRT member or RSNA member are not credentials and do not belong in the post-name string. They can be listed on a CV or professional biography but not after your name.
For physician radiologists, the email signature follows the same logic: name and degrees on the first line, title and department below. Some physicians include board certification status on a second line (e.g., “Board Certified, Diagnostic Radiology”) rather than trying to abbreviate it into the credential string. This is a reasonable approach since ABR board certification does not have a universally recognized post-name abbreviation the way ARRT certifications do.