Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.
U.S. Workers
16,960
Median Salary
$97,020
10-Year Growth
+3.0%
Annual Openings
900
Typical entry: Associate's degree
16 of 17 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
AI: Fully automatable - Processing cardiac function studies (e.g., gating, segmentation, quantitative outputs) is routinely and fully automatable by computer algorithms.
Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.
AI: Fully automatable - Calculating, measuring (from instrument inputs), and recording radiation dosages and disposals can be fully automated by software systems that follow prescriptions and logging requirements.
Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.
AI: Fully automatable - Reconstruction and generation of computer images from raw scanner data is routinely automated by software to produce images for physician interpretation.
Record and process results of procedures.
AI: Fully automatable - Recording and processing procedural results is a data/documentation task that AI can fully automate through extraction, structuring, and EHR integration.
Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
AI: Partial - Algorithms can detect and map radiopharmaceutical distributions from scanner data, but operating the camera and patient positioning remain manual, so the task is only partially automatable.
Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.
AI: Partial - AI can generate and deliver standardized explanations and prep instructions via chatbots or kiosks but cannot physically assist patients during procedures or fully replace in-person reassurance and hands-on help.
Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.
AI: Partial - Automated synthesis modules and hot cells can prepare some radiopharmaceuticals, but sterile compounding, QC, and regulatory safety oversight mean full automation is not yet universal.
Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment or cameras.
AI: Partial - AI/software can automate analysis of QC data and run self-tests, but many quality-control tasks (phantom placement, physical adjustments) still require human technicians.
Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
AI: Partial - AI can manage documentation, tracking, and provide procedural guidance for radioactive waste handling, but physical handling and regulatory chain-of-custody require trained humans and controlled infrastructure.
Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy.
AI: Partial - AI can extract histories from EHRs and conduct patient interviews to gather information, yet clinical judgment to select diagnostic/therapeutic procedures requires human oversight.
Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment.
AI: Partial - AI can drive predictive maintenance, analyze calibration data, and guide procedures, but hands‑on maintenance and some calibration steps remain manual and require skilled technicians.
Position radiation fields, radiation beams, and patient to allow for most effective treatment of patient's disease, using computer.
AI: Partial - AI can compute optimal beam arrangements and virtual positioning, but physical patient positioning and final treatment authorization remain human responsibilities due to safety and regulatory requirements.
Add radioactive substances to biological specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, to determine therapeutic drug or hormone levels.
AI: Partial - Automated laboratory robotics can perform sample dosing in controlled environments and AI can control protocols, yet radiochemical handling safety and oversight mean full automation is not broadly realized.
Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, or radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, or other laboratory equipment.
AI: Partial - Automated scanners and software can acquire and analyze radioactivity measurements, but setup, patient handling, and certain instrument operations still need human operators.
Train or supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists.
AI: Partial - AI can provide curricula, simulated training, and assessment tools, but mentorship, real‑world supervision, and professional accountability are not fully automatable.
Develop treatment procedures for nuclear medicine treatment programs.
AI: Partial - AI can draft, analyze, and optimize treatment protocols, but developing and approving clinical treatment procedures requires multidisciplinary clinical judgment and regulatory sign-off.
Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.
AI: Not automatable - Administration of radiopharmaceuticals intravenously is an invasive, highly regulated clinical procedure that requires licensed, hands-on personnel and cannot be done autonomously by AI.