Will nuclear medicine technologists be replaced by AI?
Updated
Nuclear medicine technologists score 37 out of 100 for AI exposure. 45% of their task time needs a person. AI can do 20% and helps with 35%.
- 20% AI can do it
- 35% AI helps
- 45% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 50% of the 923 jobs we scored.
Task by task
We graded 17 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 3 of them, helps with 7 and leaves 7 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Record and process results of procedures. Documenting and processing results is routine data entry and reporting. | 80% AI can do it |
| Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription. Dose calculations and records are highly suited to software. | 75% AI can do it |
| Process cardiac function studies, using computer. Cardiac software computes function; technologist reviews and corrects results. | 65% AI can do it |
| Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician. Software generates images; technologist sets parameters and checks quality. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop treatment procedures for nuclear medicine treatment programs. AI can draft protocols and literature reviews, clinicians approve them. | 55% AI helps |
| Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy. AI can summarize charts and intake forms; interviews stay live. | 45% AI helps |
| Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment or cameras. Physical checks remain; software can log and flag failures. | 30% AI helps |
| Add radioactive substances to biological specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, to determine therapeutic drug or hormone levels. Bench pipetting stays manual; tracking and labels can be digitized. | 28% AI helps |
| Position radiation fields, radiation beams, and patient to allow for most effective treatment of patient's disease, using computer. Planning software computes fields, but patient setup is physical. | 22% AI helps |
| Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images. Camera imaging is software driven, but patient positioning stays manual. | 20% AI helps |
Show the other 7 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, or radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, or other laboratory equipment. Probe placement on patients is manual, software does some math. | 20% Needs a person |
| Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures. Live patient explanation and physical assistance need a person present. | 18% Needs a person |
| Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients. Handling and preparing hot radioactive stock needs manual shielded work. | 15% Needs a person |
| Train or supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists. Mentoring trainees is in person coaching and accountable oversight. | 15% Needs a person |
| Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment. Equipment repair and calibration needs physical access and tools. | 12% Needs a person |
| Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures. Physical handling and disposal of radioactive waste needs trained staff. | 8% Needs a person |
| Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician. Live IV injection needs direct patient contact and hands on skill. | 5% Needs a person |
How nuclear medicine technologists compare
All jobs (923)
Healthcare practitioners and technical (89)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $101,370 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 17,080 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.4% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Set acquisition parameters and check images in Medovation RadRunner
- Review and correct cardiac function results in gamma camera software
- Audit dose records in Radiopharmacy inventory databases
- Hold ARRT(N) or NMTCB nuclear medicine certification
- Administer IV radiopharmaceuticals and assist patients during scans
- Train student nuclear medicine technologists on injection and safety
Safer roles nearby
5 related jobs with lower scores.
Questions about nuclear medicine technologists and AI
Will AI replace nuclear medicine technologists?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly recording and processing procedure results and calculating radiation dosage records. Patient contact, IV administration, handling radioactive stock, and equipment calibration stay with people because they need a trained person in the room.
Which tasks is AI taking over for nuclear medicine technologists?
Recording and processing procedure results is the most exposed task, with an exposure score of 80, because it is routine data entry and reporting. Calculating and recording radiation dosage scores 75, since dose math and records suit software. Processing cardiac function studies scores 65, as software computes the function and the technologist reviews and corrects it.
Which tasks of nuclear medicine technologists stay human?
Intravenous administration scores 5, disposing of radioactive materials scores 8, and maintaining and calibrating equipment scores 12. These stay with people because they need direct patient contact, physical handling of radioactive waste, and hands-on tools at the equipment.
How can nuclear medicine technologists stay valuable as AI spreads?
Check each software dose calculation against the physician's prescription before a dose is signed off. Learn to set acquisition parameters and judge image quality in Medovation RadRunner, and correct cardiac results in gamma camera software. Keep the ARRT(N) or NMTCB certification current and train student technologists on injection and safety.
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