Recent Rule Changes
The Joint Commission - Proposed Standards Changes for Diagnostic Imaging Services
New ACR Accreditation Recordkeeping Standard
Rule Change for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Rule Change for the State of Ohio
Industry News
DEP Online Refresher Training Program for X-Ray Equipment Operators / June 2014
DEP, in partnership with a Bloomsburg University professor of health physics, has developed online refresher training materials for operators of X-ray equipment who conduct low-risk procedures such as general radiography and dental X-rays. DEP regulations require operators to demonstrate that they have completed a recommended two contact hours or four units of continuing education every four years in specialized subject areas, such as sources of radiation exposure and methods of protection. The subject areas should be applicable to the procedures they perform and equipment they utilize.
CLICK HERE. to view DEP Radiation Safety Training Data PDF documnet.
CLICK HERE. to download DEP X-Ray Continuing Education Presentation PowerPoint documnet.
CLICK HERE. to view PA DEP Training Fact Sheet PDF documnet.
The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert / August 24th, 2011
Radiation Risks of Diagnostic Imaging / CLICK HERE. to view PDF documnet.
ICACTL Standards for Computed Tomography (CT) Laboratory Accreditation / Parts I and II
CLICK HERE. to view PDF documnet.
The ACR and Society of Breast Imaging Statement on Radiation Received to the Thyroid from Mammography - April 4th, 2011
Some Americans have expressed concern, due to an erroneous media report, that the small amount of radiation a patient receives from a mammogram may significantly increase the likelihood of developing thyroid cancer. This concern simply is not supported in scientific literature.
The radiation dose to the thyroid from a mammogram is extremely low. The thyroid is not exposed to the direct X-ray beam used to image the breast and receives only a tiny amount of scattered X-rays (less than 0.005 milligray). This is equivalent to only 30 minutes of natural background radiation received by all Americans from natural sources.
For annual screening mammography from ages 40-80, the cancer risk from this tiny amount of radiation scattered to the thyroid is incredibly small (less than 1 in 17.1 million women screened.) This minute risk should be balanced with the fact that thyroid shield usage could interfere with optimal positioning and could result in artifacts - shadows that might appear on the mammography image. Both of these factors could reduce the quality of the image and interfere with diagnosis. Therefore, use of a thyroid shiel during mammography is not recommended.
Patients are urged not to put off or forego necessary breast imaging care based on this erroneous media report.
For more information on this issue, please see Summary of Thyroid Cancer Risks Due to Mammography by R. Edward Hendrick, PhD, FACR.
For more information on why you should start annual mammograms at 40 years of age, please visit www.MammographySavesLives.org.
United Healthcare to Require Accreditation for Medical Imaging Reimbursement
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has announced that, beginning March 1, 2008, it will adopt accreditation programs, administered by the ACR—the nation's oldest and most widely recognized medical imaging accrediting body—or other accrediting organizations deemed acceptable to UHC, for MRI, CT, PET, nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography. UHC has encouraged member facilities to apply for accreditation as soon as possible.
Early submission of accreditation applications and materials is strongly recommended. Facilities seeking to meet the new UHC requirements should submit accreditation applications by June 1, 2007.
Please call the accreditation hotline at (800) 770-0145 or visit the accreditation section of the ACR Web site at for more information regarding UnitedHealthcare's new accreditation requirement and how the ACR can help providers meet the new UHC standard in a timely, efficient manner.
Congress passes bill HR6331 making accreditation mandatory for Medicare reimbursement of MRI, CT, NM, PET starting January 1, 2012.
Click here to read more.