BENEFITS OF ACR ACCREDITATION
Look for the ACR gold seal and put your mind at ease.
When you see the gold seal of accreditation, you can rest assured that the facility will meet the highest level of patient safety standards and image quality. Why? Because it means that the facility and its personnel have gone through a comprehensive review to earn accreditation status by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Among patients and physicians alike, ACR accreditation is recognized as the gold standard in medical imaging. Before your imaging procedure, be sure to ask your physician . . .
• Why is the exam needed?
• How will having the exam improve care?
• Are there alternatives that do not use radiation and deliver similar results?
• Is the facility ACR accredited?
• Are pediatric exams delivering “kid-sized” radiation doses?
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR CT
- Continue taking your current medications as normal unless specified by your physician.
- You may be asked not to eat or drink anything for several hours beforehand, especially if a contrast material will be used in your exam. Depending on the area of the body being imaged, you may be asked to drink a flavored mixture called barium that will aid in the evaluation of your stomach and intestines.
- Women should always inform their physician and CT technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. Many imaging tests are not performed during pregnancy as to not expose the fetus to unnecessary radiation, If a CT is necessary, precautions will be taken to minimize radiation exposure to the baby.
