Nuclear medicine technologists operate equipment that creates images of areas of a patient's body. They prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to patients. The radioactive drugs cause abnormal areas of the body to appear different from normal areas in the images.

Most nuclear medicine technologists work in hospitals. Some work in physicians' offices, diagnostic laboratories, or imaging clinics. Most nuclear medicine technologists work full time.

Nuclear medicine technologists typically need an associate's degree from an accredited nuclear medicine technology program. Formal education programs in nuclear medicine technology or a related healthcare field lead to a certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree. Technologists must be licensed in about one half of the states; requirements vary by state.

The median annual wage for nuclear medicine technologists was $73,360 in May 2015.

Employment of nuclear medicine technologists is projected to grow 2 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. An aging population may lead to the need for nuclear medicine technologists who can provide imaging to patients with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease. However, employment growth may be tempered as many medical facilities and third-party payers encourage the use of less costly, noninvasive imaging technologies, such as ultrasound. 

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