About the exam
Final FRCR Part 2A Exam structure
An independent study guide aligned to the current Final FRCR Part A Clinical Radiology examination, its six content topics, two-paper SBA structure and current specialty training curriculum.
Issuer and path
Final FRCR Part 2A Radiology Study Guide is administered through The Royal College of Radiologists. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Final FRCR Part A: General Clinical Radiology
240 scored + 0 pretest
Aggregate coverage of the 240-question assessment across Paper 1 and Paper 2. This is not one continuous six-hour paper and does not imply a category quota within either paper.
Before applying and before each paper
Check the live CR2A timetable and your Exam Hub notice for Training Programme Director approval, completed training, venue, identification, equipment, reference sheet, adjustment and platform instructions. Treat Paper 1 and Paper 2 as one examination sitting even when held on consecutive days.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiothoracic and Vascular | 40 | 101 | 24 | Strong |
| Musculoskeletal and Trauma | 40 | 100 | 24 | Strong |
| Gastro-intestinal | 40 | 100 | 24 | Strong |
| Genito-urinary, Adrenal, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Breast | 40 | 100 | 24 | Strong |
| Paediatric | 40 | 100 | 24 | Strong |
| Central Nervous and Head & Neck | 40 | 100 | 24 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to prepare for the current Final FRCR Part A
Build general-radiology breadth, then practise integrating clinical context, anatomy, multimodality findings, technique and management to select the single best answer.
1. Read the exact task
Identify whether the question asks for the most likely diagnosis, least likely option, best next investigation, important complication or management step.
2. Localise and frame the case
Set age, sex, immune and oncological context, tempo and clinical setting; then localise the abnormality anatomically.
3. Extract discriminating imaging features
Use modality, distribution, signal or attenuation, enhancement, diffusion, vascularity and associated findings rather than one memorable sign.
4. Compare all five options
Reject each distractor against the complete context and choose the option that is most correct, not merely plausible.
5. Check safety and management
Before committing, ask whether urgency, contrast, radiation, intervention risk or a management-changing feature alters the answer.
Current RCR content structure
Cover six topics across both mixed SBA papers
The six domain rows are official content labels. Their near-equal future-practice allocation is editorial because RCR publishes no topic counts.
Cardiothoracic and Vascular
Thoracic, cardiac and vascular anatomy, pathology, multimodality diagnosis, intervention and emergency pathways.
Choose a topic to open below
Musculoskeletal and Trauma
Bone, joint, spine and soft-tissue disease plus acute and chronic injury across radiographs, ultrasound, CT, MRI and intervention.
Choose a topic to open below
Gastro-intestinal
Luminal gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, splenic, peritoneal and abdominal vascular disease and intervention.
Choose a topic to open below
Genito-urinary, Adrenal, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Breast
Urinary tract, adrenal and retroperitoneal imaging together with gynaecological, obstetric and breast radiology.
Choose a topic to open below
Paediatric
Age-specific imaging from fetal and neonatal disease through childhood, including congenital conditions, emergencies, safeguarding and dose optimisation.
Choose a topic to open below
Central Nervous and Head & Neck
Brain, meninges, spine, head and neck, eyes, ENT, salivary glands, skull base and dental imaging.
Choose a topic to open below
Airways, Infection and the Acute Chest
Recognise airway disease, infection and acute thoracic deterioration on radiographs and cross-sectional imaging.
Key rules
Rule 1
Integrate distribution, tempo, airways, airspaces, pleura and clinical context to distinguish infection, oedema, collapse and obstructive disease.
Exam cue: Localise the abnormality and identify the organ, compartment, tissue or vessel before naming a diagnosis.
Rule 2
Choose radiography, CT, CT pulmonary angiography or ultrasound according to instability, suspected complication and the decision the result will change.
Exam cue: Use age, clinical setting, tempo and the complete multimodality pattern to rank the most likely explanation.
Rule 3
Identify tension, major airway obstruction, empyema, abscess and other findings requiring urgent drainage, intervention or escalation.
Exam cue: Select the examination or intervention that changes management while accounting for contrast, radiation, access and urgency.
Rule 4
Apply normal and variant anatomy, modality technique, image quality and relevant imaging science to airways, infection and the acute chest.
Exam cue: State the clinical question, then choose acquisition, contrast and coverage that answer it with proportionate risk.
Common traps
Calling a non-specific opacity infection without checking volume loss, pleural disease, cardiac failure, aspiration pattern or an obstructing lesion.
Prevention: Do not anchor on one remembered sign; verify age, localisation, distribution, technique, alternatives and management consequence.
Do not choose a merely plausible SBA option before comparing every option with the full clinical and imaging context.
Prevention: Re-read the command word and compare every option; the task is to select the best available answer, not the first plausible one.
Memory anchors
Air-space opacity: first four checks
Distribution, volume change, air bronchograms and associated pleural or airway findings.
Lobar collapse clue
Displacement of fissures, hila or mediastinum supports volume loss rather than simple consolidation.
Empyema versus lung abscess
Empyema is pleural and lentiform with obtuse margins; an abscess is intrapulmonary and more often round with an irregular wall.
Acute chest escalation
Prioritise immediately reversible threats: tension pneumothorax, major airway obstruction, haemorrhage and vascular catastrophe.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
A 68-year-old man develops fever and productive cough after a stroke. CT shows dependent consolidation in the posterior upper lobes and superior lower-lobe segments. What is the most likely cause?
A chest radiograph shows right upper-lobe opacity with elevation of the horizontal fissure and upward displacement of the right hilum. What is the single best interpretation?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
RCR: FRCR Part 2A (Radiology) - CR2A
Current examination landing page, purpose, 2026 sittings and candidate resources.
RCR: CR2A guidance notes for candidates
Current six topics, two-paper structure, timing, marking, whole-assessment result, standard setting and reference-sheet rules.
RCR: CR2A purpose of assessment
Expected training stage and the clinical, scientific, statistical, technical and management knowledge assessed.
RCR: understanding the SBA format
Official five-option SBA structure and advice for interpreting clinical vignettes and imaging information.
RCR: CR2A specimen questions
Official examples of the clinical single-best-answer form; not copied into this asset.
RCR: Clinical radiology curriculum
Official current curriculum index and May 2023 update link.
Clinical Radiology Curriculum update, 15 May 2023
Current curriculum content, programme of assessment and mapping of Final FRCR Part A to specialty-specific capabilities.
RCR: exam regulations and policies
Current Clinical Radiology eligibility, content-topic, same-sitting, attempt and progression rules.
RCR: Candidate Reference Sheet
The abbreviations and normal investigation ranges supplied for use during the SBA papers.
RCR: TNM staging guidance
Linked legacy guidance excluding exact TNM-stage assignment while retaining management-relevant malignant imaging features.
RCR: Final FRCR Part A Examination Committee
Current governance statement connecting Part 2A to the core radiology syllabus and examination standard setting.
FAQ
Common Final FRCR Part 2A questions
Is this an official RCR resource?
No. This is an independent study guide. The live RCR examination page, candidate guidance, curriculum, regulations and direct candidate communications remain authoritative.
What does the frcr-part-2a slug cover?
It covers Final FRCR Part A in Clinical Radiology, also labelled CR2A or Final FRCR 2A. It does not cover First FRCR, Final FRCR Part B or the separate Clinical Oncology examinations.
Are there still six separate Part 2A modules?
Not in the current examination structure. The live regulations and candidate guidance list six content topics, but Paper 1 and Paper 2 mix questions from across them. The 240 questions form one assessment and there is no separate pass or fail result for an individual paper or topic. Older RCR material may still use “module” informally.
What are the six current content topics?
They are Cardiothoracic and Vascular; Musculoskeletal and Trauma; Gastro-intestinal; Genito-urinary, Adrenal, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Breast; Paediatric; and Central Nervous and Head & Neck.
How are the six topics divided between Paper 1 and Paper 2?
Both papers contain a broad mix from the core curriculum. Current RCR examiner advice says marks are divided equally between the six categories overall, equivalent to 40 of 240 marks each, but RCR does not publish a Paper 1/Paper 2 topic split.
How does each paper work?
Each paper contains 120 single-best-answer questions and lasts three hours. Every item has a stem or clinical vignette, a question and five options labelled A to E, of which one is the best answer.
Must both papers be taken at the same sitting?
Yes. The regulations require both papers at one examination sitting for overall success. Candidate guidance says the 240 questions are viewed as one assessment, so there is no paper result to carry forward.
Is there negative marking?
No. A correct answer earns one mark and an incorrect answer earns zero. The RCR encourages candidates to answer every question.
What is the pass mark?
There is no permanent published pass percentage. Examiners apply modified Angoff standard setting and then the Hofstee compromise method, so the final standard and cohort pass rate can vary by sitting.
What clinical depth does Part 2A assess?
The purpose statement describes pathology, congenital abnormalities, normal and pathological findings, differential diagnosis, imaging and management pathways, interventions and the ability to support general, emergency and inpatient radiology after broad experience consistent with two years of training.
Are anatomy, physics and techniques still examinable?
Yes. The live CR2A page says the SBA papers cover clinical radiology together with basic sciences of physics, anatomy and techniques. The purpose statement also includes protocol optimisation, molecular biology, medical statistics, drugs and contrast agents, and intervention complications.
Which imaging modalities are in scope?
The regulations state that the two papers cover all imaging modalities. Study should therefore integrate radiographs, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, CT, MRI, radionuclide and hybrid imaging, and image-guided procedures where relevant to each clinical topic.
Is exact TNM staging tested?
The TNM document currently linked from the live CR2A page says candidates are not expected to assign the specific TNM stage of a tumour from imaging. They are still expected to recognise radiological features of common malignancies that influence evaluation and management. The linked document refers to the older 2016 curriculum, so candidates should also follow any newer sitting-specific RCR notice.
What information is supplied during the exam?
RCR says candidates receive a reference sheet containing frequently used abbreviations and normal ranges for investigations. A calculator is not required.
Which curriculum is current?
The RCR current-curriculum page links the Clinical Radiology Specialty Training Curriculum implemented on 1 August 2021 and updated on 15 May 2023. It maps Final FRCR Part A to core clinical-radiology capabilities and identifies it as a summative SBA knowledge examination.
Who is eligible to enter?
Applicants must have passed First FRCR and completed 24 months in a formal clinical radiology training post by the month of the examination. UK specialty trainees also need approval from their Training Programme Director before applying.
How many attempts are allowed?
No candidate is automatically permitted more than six attempts at an FRCR examination. A seventh or later attempt requires evidence of additional educational experience under current rules.
Are the 601 practice items an RCR figure?
No. RCR specifies a 240-question examination with equal overall weighting across six categories. This independent bank contains 601 original text-complete SBA practice questions, split 101/100/100/100/100/100 because an odd total cannot divide exactly by six.
Why is a full mock disabled?
A full mock remains disabled because the live examination is delivered as two separately timed papers and RCR publishes no paper-specific topic allocation. The 601-item bank is broad SBA practice rather than a claim to reproduce either live paper.