The American College of Radiology (ACR™) Certification is an important requirement at many nuclear imaging locations to full-fill ACR Accreditation.
Attaining ACR Certification can be a time consuming and frustrating process for many new nuclear imaging facilities. This process requires attention to detail and special camera imaging procedures. Ohio Valley Imaging Solutions can remove the burden of your ACR Accreditation with our ACR Certification Testing Service designed to streamline ACR accreditation.
Not only does OVIS have the clinical experience to evaluate image quality required for ACR Certification, OVIS also has the equipment expertise to resolve imaging issues that may delay ACR Certification. Having both equipment and clinical skill sets in one organization can speed your certification process and reduce your cost.
Contact OVIS today for an Evaluation of your ACR Certification needs
724-774-1400
ACR CAMERA TESTING
The purpose of ACR Gamma Camera Testing & Certification is to verify a new or moved gamma camera meets NEMA, manufacturer and/or class specifications. Acceptance tests are the most thorough and, therefore, the most costly tests necessary on gamma cameras. The American College of Radiology (ACR™) and some states require acceptance tests on all new gamma camera installations and cameras that have been moved. According to the ACR™’s Nuclear Medicine and PET Requirements, “Acceptance tests must be performed on systems when they are installed.”
NUCLEAR GAMMA CAMERA ACCEPTANCE TESTING
Acceptance Testing is widely recommended or required by various governmental and professional organizations including NRC, JCAHO, ACNP, ACR, ICANL and SNM. These tests are to be performed before a camera is first used for clinical imaging. Acceptance Testing is used to assess whether a camera is safe and performing adequately for clinical use, to determine if the camera is performing in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and to verify the camera was installed correctly. Acceptance Testing does not eliminate the need for Routine Quality Control and conversely, Routine Quality Control does not eliminate the need for Acceptance Testing. Rather, Acceptance Testing assesses an additional set of camera parameters as well as provides a baseline or benchmark performance level that is continuously monitored by the Routine Quality Control Procedures. A camera may pass tests designed to evaluate planar performance but not pass the more stringent requirements for Tomographic usage.
The following is a summary of the recommendations and requirements as presented by the various organizations and professionals in the field of nuclear medicine and physics for ACR Gamma Camera Testing & Certification:
» MECHANICAL
- Camera Motion Assessment
- Patient Pallet Operation
- Camera Safety Emergency Stop and Interlocks
- Readout Accuracy
- Detector Shielding
» PLANAR TESTS
Intrinsic
- Intrinsic Uniformity with and without Correction
- Intrinsic Spatial Linearity
- Intrinsic Spatial Resolution
- Intrinsic Energy Resolution
- Multiple Energy Window Spatial Registration
- Multiple Radionuclide Intrinsic Uniformity
- Dead Time and Maximum Count Rate Capability (Intrinsic Sensitivity)
- Detector to Detector Sensitivity
Extrinsic
- Extrinsic Sensitivity for each Collimator Set
- Extrinsic Uniformity for each Collimator Set
- Extrinsic Spatial Resolution, Collimator Angulation & Damage for each
- Collimator Set
» SPECT TESTS
- Rotational Uniformity
- Tomographic Uniformity
- Tomographic Contrast
- Tomographic Resolution
- Multi Detector Registration
- Center of Rotation
- Pallet Registration
» WHOLE BODY IMAGING
- Whole Body Registration
- Whole Body Spatial Resolution
To learn more or schedule a brief 10 minute consulation for ACR Gamma Camera Testing & Certification, please call 724-774-1400