ALTOONA – Altoona Regional has been awarded three-year terms of accreditation in CT Scanning as a result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.
Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.
CT scans use combined X-ray and computer technology to image bones, lungs and other organs in three dimensions. The camera of the CT spirals around the patient’s body and can provide multiple super-thin images.
CT uses radiation to generate images with faster scanning (in most cases) than MRI. Some CT scans require an injection of a special iodine contrast before the scan. This contrast is absorbed by abnormal tissue and is detected by the CT scanner.
“We are very proud to have achieved this distinction,” said Mike Corso, administrative director of Imaging Services and Cardiology. “There are many people who spend countless hours through the accreditation process, which ensures that Altoona Regional is on the forefront of patient safety and doing things the correct way.”
