American College of Radiology
ACR accreditation medical physicist services. American College of Radiology accreditation support for CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, PET, mammography. Physics testing and quality control for imaging facilities.
Requirements
- Annual physics testing: a system performance evaluation by a qualified medical physicist for CT, MRI (or an MR scientist), nuclear medicine and PET, with the signed summary submitted; annual QC testing by the medical physicist or a designee for ultrasound
- Phantom images, dose measurements and clinical images submitted as each modality's testing requirements specify
- The modality's ACR quality control manual followed for equipment and phantom testing
- Equipment documentation and the QC records each modality's program specifies
Benefits
- Peer-reviewed evaluation of your images and physics testing against published modality standards
- ACR is one of the accrediting organizations CMS recognizes for CT, MRI, nuclear medicine and PET under MIPPA
- For mammography, accreditation by an FDA-approved body such as ACR is required under MQSA
- A documented physics baseline that supports dose optimization and routine QC
Accreditation Process
- Complete the accreditation application online
- Physics testing (a qualified medical physicist for CT, MRI, nuclear medicine and PET; the medical physicist or a designee for ultrasound QC)
- Submit the clinical images, applicable phantom images and documentation each modality's program requires; ACR conducts the review primarily electronically
- ACR review and accreditation decision
Maintenance Requirements
- Accreditation is awarded for a three-year period, after which the facility must reaccredit
- Annual physics testing between reaccreditations
- Routine QC by technologists at the frequencies each modality's QC manual specifies (for ultrasound, ACR recommends at least semiannual routine QC but does not require its documentation for accreditation)
- ACR may perform unannounced validation site surveys of selected facilities during the accreditation term
What ACR accreditation covers
ACR accreditation is a peer-reviewed evaluation in which a facility submits physics testing, equipment data and clinical images that ACR reviewers compare against published standards for each modality. ACR's diagnostic imaging programs include CT, MRI (including breast MRI), nuclear medicine and PET, mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and ultrasound and breast ultrasound. For these modalities the review is conducted primarily electronically rather than through a routine on-site survey. For CT, MRI, nuclear medicine and PET, the annual physics survey and its signed summary must come from a qualified medical physicist (or MR scientist for MRI).
How DRPS supports ACR accreditation
Board-certified (DABR) DRPS medical physicists perform the annual physics survey, score the ACR phantoms, document results against the acceptance criteria, and help assemble the physics report and equipment documentation for submission. Our ACR accreditation support service covers CT, MRI, mammography, PET, nuclear medicine and ultrasound.
Go deeper
- ACR Accreditation Physics Requirements explains the physics testing expected for each modality.
- ACR CT Accreditation Phantom QC covers the CT phantom modules.
- MRI ACR Phantom QC: The Seven Tests covers the MRI phantom tests.
- ACR Digital Mammography Phantom QC covers mammography phantom scoring.
- PET/CT ACR Accreditation Phantom QC covers the PET phantom.
- Breast MRI QC and ACR Accreditation covers the breast MRI program.
Preparing for accreditation or reaccreditation? Request a quote.