A Look into Imaging Standards as Set by the American College of Radiology

Published On - August 22, 2019

James Ashworth Blog
A Look into Imaging Standards as Set by the American College of Radiology

Considering the importance of developing accurate diagnoses for patients, various governing bodies have developed numerous standards to make the best use of imaging equipment.

You have multiple authorities across the world like the American College of Radiology (ACR) and IAEA that set out safety standards and standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of the patient. In addition to this, all imaging display and capturing equipment must meet minimum criteria that all healthcare providers ought to be aware of.

Whether it’s for the purposes of buying the best equipment or to ensure that they meet compliance standards, these standards are paramount for optimal healthcare efficacy. As such, we’ve developed a condensed version of these standards. Bear in mind that these are standards set by the ACR, but other governing authorities might have separate standards.

The ACR Technical Standards for Electronic Medical Imaging

The ACR requires all equipment to meet the following standards:

  1. Compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
  2. Compliance with DICOM standardsfor Luminance and Grayscale function values.
  3. Compliance with the reporting standards set out for the communication of diagnostic images. This includes presenting all relevant informationregarding the patient and the findings of the diagnostic exercise.
  4. Image luminance of at least150cd/m2 must be achieved in all images.
  5. All equipment must be put through regular testing and Quality Assurance procedures.
  6. Technical assistance from the OEM must be readily available.
  7. The harm of exposure to radiation must be balanced out with the value of producing better images that come with greater exposure with DR systems. All medical practitioners must follow ALARA; standing for As Low As Reasonably Achievable.

The Importance of Following ProcedureThe ACR Technical Standards for Electronic Medical Imaging

These standards are immensely important for all healthcare institutions to follow because it brings uniformity to all diagnostic practices across the healthcare system. With this uniformity, it becomes easier to implement DICOM standards and allow for the development of quality Standard Operating Procedures, which are required to ensure the highest possible standard of healthcare.

As better technology and compliance comes into effect, it will allow healthcare institutions to deliver on their promises to improve the quality of patient lives.

If you’re looking for state of the art digital radiography equipment and digital X-ray solutions for imaging centers, get in touch with us at ExamVue. We have been providing top quality diagnostic imaging solutions and equipment for nearly 4 decades.

 

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