Griffin Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The accreditation, which applies to both the hospital-based MRI and the Hitachi Oasis open MRI at the Griffin Imaging & Diagnostics Center at Ivy Brook in Shelton, comes as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
MRI of the breast offers valuable information about many breast conditions that may not be obtained by other imaging modalities, such as mammography or ultrasound.
“We are proud to receive ACR accreditation for Breast MRI, which represents our most recent diagnostic imaging modality to receive this ‘seal of approval’ by the organization,” said Christine Cooper, Director of Radiology and Cardiology Services at the hospital. “We are pleased to be able to offer this level of care, when needed, to patients at the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital.”
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.
The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital performed more than 8,010 outpatient mammograms in 2011, increasing the number from 4,951 the previous year. The Center features two new state-of-the-art digital mammography suites, as well as ultrasound, and breast biopsy capability onsite. The Center’s hallmark, however, is the ability to quickly assemble the resources required to provide optimal care. This includes Breast MRI — at either Griffin Hospital or the Griffin Imaging & Diagnostics Center at Ivy Brook — that is tailored to each patient’s individual needs.
“We are pleased to count Breast MRI among the many other ACR accreditations we have achieved at the hospital and the Griffin Imaging & Diagnostics Center at Ivy Brook,” said Cooper.
The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive healthcare services.
