What is the RCIS credential?
The Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) is the credential for cardiac cath lab professionals, administered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). Earning it means passing a 3-hour, 170-question computer-based exam covering diagnostic catheterization, coronary intervention, hemodynamics, and emergency management. It is the standard registry credential employers look for in invasive cardiovascular technologists and cath lab nurses.
Whether you are a CVIS technologist, an RT crossing over, or an RN who wants formal recognition of cath lab expertise, the RCIS is the same exam for everyone — only the eligibility pathway differs. If your work is in the EP lab rather than the cath lab, the companion credential is the RCES — see our RCES exam guide.
RCIS exam quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 170 total — 150 scored + 20 unscored pretest items |
| Time | 3 hours, computer-based |
| Fee | $365 USD (includes a $100 non-refundable application fee) |
| Passing score | 650 scaled, on a 0–900 scale |
| Where | Pearson Professional Centers — 230+ locations, year-round scheduling |
| Administered by | Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) |
| Renewal | 36 CEUs every 3 years (30 must be cardiovascular-related) |
Fees, policies, and blueprints change. Verify current details on CCI's official RCIS page before you apply.
Who is eligible? The three pathways
You qualify for the RCIS exam through one of three CCI pathways: clinical experience (RCIS235), graduation from an accredited invasive cardiovascular program (RCIS4), or graduation from a non-accredited program plus documented specialty training (RCIS5). All pathways also require a high-school diploma or GED.
| Pathway | Requirements | Typical candidate |
|---|---|---|
| RCIS235 | Graduate of a health-science program (nursing, RT, paramedic, etc.) + 1 year full-time invasive cardiovascular experience + 600 cardiac diagnostic/interventional procedures | Cath lab RN or crossover RT already working in the lab |
| RCIS4 | Graduate of a programmatically accredited invasive cardiovascular technology program | New CVT program graduate |
| RCIS5 | Graduate of a non-accredited invasive CV program with ≥1 year specialty training including ≥800 clinical hours | Graduate of a hospital-based or non-CAAHEP program |
What's on the exam? The 2026 content blueprint
The RCIS exam is dominated by procedures: diagnostic procedures are 40% of the exam and interventional procedures are 34% — together nearly three-quarters of your score. The rest covers emergencies (13%), pre-procedural activities (8%), and post-procedural care (5%).
| Domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Procedures | 40% | Right and left heart cath, hemodynamic waveforms and calculations, angiographic views and coronary anatomy, valve assessment, shunt studies, contrast and radiation principles |
| Interventional Procedures | 34% | PCI equipment and technique, stents, adjunctive devices (IVUS, FFR/iFR, atherectomy), structural interventions, anticoagulation and antiplatelet pharmacology |
| Emergency Procedures | 13% | Recognition and management of tamponade, perforation, no-reflow, arrhythmias, ACLS-level response, mechanical circulatory support (IABP, percutaneous VADs) |
| Pre-Procedural Activities | 8% | Patient assessment, labs and NPO status, consent, sterile prep, equipment checks, medication review |
| Post-Procedural Activities | 5% | Access-site management and closure devices, complication surveillance, patient education, documentation |
Build your study plan around these weights. A candidate who is excellent on hemodynamics and coronary anatomy but shaky on closure devices loses at most a few points; the reverse is fatal to a passing score.
How scoring works
Your result is a scaled score from 0 to 900, with 650 required to pass. Because 20 of the 170 questions are unscored pretest items (you won't know which), answer everything with equal effort. Scaled scoring means the passing bar is calibrated to form difficulty — there is no fixed "percent correct" that guarantees a pass, which is why blueprint-matched practice exams are a better readiness signal than raw percentages on random question sets.
An 8–12 week study plan that matches the blueprint
Working cath lab staff typically need 8–12 weeks of structured prep: build foundations first, then spend most of your time on diagnostic and interventional content, and finish with full-length timed mock exams in the final two weeks.
Weeks 1–2 — Foundations
- Cardiac anatomy and coronary circulation, cardiac cycle, ECG basics
- Radiation safety, imaging projections, contrast agents
- Baseline self-assessment: take a diagnostic quiz and identify weak domains
Weeks 3–6 — The 74%: diagnostic + interventional
- Hemodynamics until it is automatic: normal pressures, waveform recognition, cardiac output methods, shunt and valve-area calculations
- Angiographic views: which projection opens which vessel segment
- PCI equipment, guide/wire/balloon/stent selection, adjunctive imaging and physiology (IVUS, FFR)
- Pharmacology: anticoagulants, antiplatelets, vasoactive drips, sedation
Weeks 7–8 — Emergencies and the bookends
- Complication recognition and response: tamponade, perforation, no-reflow, access complications
- Mechanical support: IABP timing and waveforms, percutaneous VADs
- Pre- and post-procedural care, closure devices, documentation
Weeks 9–12 — Mock exams and gap-closing
- Take full-length, timed, blueprint-matched mock exams under test conditions
- Review every missed question until you can explain why the right answer is right
- Re-drill your two weakest domains in the final week
Ready to practice? Try 25 free RCIS practice questions with worked explanations, or take the free RCIS diagnostic to see where you stand.
Study for the RCIS with Cardiac Codex
One app built for exactly this exam: 177 lessons, 2,233 practice questions with explanations, 2 full-length blueprint-matched RCIS mock exams at launch (plus 2 RCES), flashcards, mastery tracking that targets your weak domains — and Cardiac Coach, an AI tutor grounded in the curriculum that you can ask from any lesson or missed question.
Get early accessCommon RCIS questions
- What's the RCIS pass rate? — CCI's official 2025 figure is 75%
- How hard is the RCIS exam?
- What's the RCIS passing score?
- Which eligibility pathway are you on? — RCIS235, RCIS4, or RCIS5
- How long should you study for the RCIS?
- Can nurses take the RCIS exam?
- RCIS vs RCES: which credential should you take?
Getting into the field
- How to become a cath lab tech — the three routes in, and what actually gets you hired
- RCIS salary: what cath lab techs actually earn — verified BLS data
RCIS exam FAQ
How many questions are on the RCIS exam?
170 multiple-choice questions — 150 scored and 20 unscored pretest items — over 3 hours on a computer at a Pearson Professional Center.
How much does the RCIS exam cost?
$365 USD, which includes a $100 non-refundable application-processing fee. Confirm the current fee on CCI's site before applying.
What score do you need to pass?
A scaled score of 650 on a 0–900 scale. It is a scaled score, not a percentage.
Can nurses take the RCIS exam?
Yes — RNs commonly qualify under the RCIS235 pathway: health-science graduate + one year of full-time invasive cardiovascular experience + 600 documented procedures.
How long should I study?
Plan 8–12 weeks of structured study while working, weighted toward the diagnostic (40%) and interventional (34%) domains.
What's the difference between RCIS and RCES?
RCIS is the cath lab credential (hemodynamics, angiography, PCI). RCES is the EP lab credential (EP studies, ablation, devices). Cardiac Codex covers both blueprints.
How do I keep the credential after passing?
CCI registry credentials renew every 3 years with 36 CEUs, 30 of which must be cardiovascular-related.