Texarkana, TX — CHRISTUS St. Michael Imaging Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
MRI of the breast offers valuable information about many breast conditions that may not be obtained by other imaging modalities, such as mammography or ultrasound.
“We are very pleased to achieve ACR accreditation for our MRI breast program,” says Lisa Patterson, BS, CNMT, RT(N), Director of Imaging Services, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System. “Our breast MRI program is a complete program offering both MR breast imaging and MR breast biopsy. It is overseen by a board-certified radiologist, who is fellowship-trained in women’s imaging.”
“With MR breast imaging and MR breast biopsy, we are able to detect abnormalities in cases that may have gone undetected or sent to an institution out of town for appropriate workup,” says Christian Sell, M.D., radiologist. “Because CHRISTUS St. Michael has supported the efforts with Breast MRI and so quickly adopted tomosynthesis, we are given a greater opportunity to detect abnormalities before they advance.”
“CHRISTUS St. Michael Imaging Center is also ACR designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as we have achieved ACR accreditation in all areas of breast imaging and procedures, which are mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, ultrasound breast, ultrasound breast biopsy and breast MRI,” says Patterson.
“The ACR (American College of Radiology) accreditation means that our facility’s personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance and quality control procedures have gone through a rigorous review process and have met very specific qualifications set forth by the ACR, the largest and oldest imaging accrediting body in the U.S. and a professional organization of 34,000 physicians,” says Patterson.
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 Parameters 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 that can be used for continuous practice improvement.
The ACR, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The College serves more than 37,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
