There are 2 accrediting bodies for Nuclear Medicine/Cardiology and PET Imaging; The American College of Radiology (ACR) or the Intersocietal  Accreditation Commission (IAC). For additional information on these programs or our fees, please call 404.915.9679 or email info@SPAphysics.com

American College of Radiology (ACR)

Accreditation in nuclear medicine and/or PET is facility based; all units used by a facility must pass the evaluation in order for a facility to be granted accreditation. Facilities will be able to choose from one or more of three modules for each accreditation:

 

 

Nuclear Medicine Accreditation

Module 1 – General Nuclear Medicine (planar imaging)
Module 2 – SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography)
Module 3 – Nuclear Cardiology Imaging

PET Accreditation

Module 1 – Oncology
Module 2 – Brain
Module 3 – Cardiac

The ACR Nuclear Medicine Accreditation Program involves the acquisition of clinical and phantom images and corresponding data for each unit. The acquisition of the phantom images involves the use of a designated SPECT phantom. Accreditation in nuclear medicine is unit based; all units used by a facility must pass the evaluation in order for a facility to be granted accreditation. Facilities will be able to choose from one or more of three modules for accreditation:

The facility must apply for all modules that are performed at the site. In addition, the site must apply for all isotopes used on each unit. Information will be collected on the quality control and quality assurance program in place, follow-up procedures, data collection, reporting, radiopharmaceutical procedures, and laboratory safety. Facilities are required to submit copies of their most recent state or Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) audits. The written response to any violations must be included.

The Intersocietal  Accreditation Commission (IAC)

The IAC was created by uniting physicians and technologists from the sponsoring organizations. Collectively these individuals created the (formerly) ICANL Standards, an extensive compilation of documents defining the minimal requirements for nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology and PET laboratories to provide high quality care. Routinely revised by the IAC Board of Directors to reflect current practices, the Standards are used by laboratories as the foundation to create and achieve realistic quality care goals.

The process begins with a comprehensive self-evaluation by laboratory staff. Completion of the application for accreditation requires information on all aspects of laboratory operation as well as the submission of actual case studies for review. After the application is submitted to the IAC, it undergoes a confidential peer-review by the IAC’s trained reviewers, including physicians and technologists, before a final decision is made by the Board of Directors.

IAC accreditation is offered in the following testing areas:

Nuclear Cardiology

  • Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
  • Equilibrium Radionuclide Angiography
  • Cardiac PET Imaging
  • Other Cardiovascular Imaging

Nuclear Medicine

  • Gastrointestinal System Imaging
  • Central Nervous System Imaging
  • Endocrine System Imaging
  • Endocrine System Nonimaging (e.g. radioiodine uptake)
  • Skeletal System Imaging
  • Genitourinary System Imaging
  • Pulmonary System Imaging
  • Infection Imaging
  • Tumor Imaging
  • Hematopoietic, Reticuloendothelial and Lymphatic Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine Therapy

 

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

  • Neurologic Imaging
  • Cardiac Imaging