What Makes a Good Radiology Facility

When your doctor orders an imaging examination to help determine your diagnosis or see how your care is progressing, you should be assured that this examination will be performed in a high quality and safe facility. Imaging examinations include x-rays, mammograms, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, nuclear medicine exams and interventional procedures such as angiograms to look at your blood vessels, stents to relieve blocked blood vessels, and biopsies to obtain an accurate diagnosis. These examinations may be performed in facilities such as hospitals, freestanding imaging centers and, in certain instances, physician offices.


The American College of Radiology places quality and safety as two of it highest priorities and is pleased to offer this series of questions you should ask your doctor so you can be sure of the quality and safety of your imaging examination.


Q. Will a board-certified radiologist interpret my examination?
A. The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommends all imaging examinations be interpreted by properly qualified physicians. A radiologist who is certified by the American Board of Radiology will clearly meet this recommendation. In its Practice Guidelines, the ACR defines alternative pathways for physician qualification. For further details see: ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards.


Q. Is the imaging facility formally accredited to perform my examination?
A. The ACR has a comprehensive program for facility accreditation for Radiation Oncology, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Ultrasound, General radiography, Mammography, Breast Ultrasound and Stereotactic Breast Biopsy. Equipment and personnel must meet specific qualification, and a high level of image quality is required for this accreditation. Other accrediting bodies exist and may also be acceptable, provided their criteria are at least as rigorous as those of the ACR. Click here for lists of facilities accredited by the ACR: ACR Accreditation Programs.


Q. Is the imaging equipment checked yearly by a qualified medical physicist?
A. Radiation exposure and equipment performance, are two important aspects of patient safety in imaging examinations. Only through a thorough annual equipment examination by a qualified medical physicist can proper safety be assured.


Q. If I’m getting an injection, does the facility have a formal emergency response plan?
A. Intravenous injections, which are used to enhance the detail of some imaging examinations, carry a very small risk of serious reaction. It is important to know if your imaging facility has a formal emergency response plan in place, in case of a reaction.


Q. How soon can my examination be done?
A. The timing of your imaging examination should depend, primarily, on the urgency of your medical condition. Hospital-based imaging facilities provide imaging for most emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For less urgent conditions, a high-quality imaging facility should be able to perform your examination within a reasonable period of time. Unfortunately, due to the high demand for screening mammography and some MRI scans, the wait for these examinations can be up to six months.


Q. Will there be someone there to explain the examination to me?
A. A high-quality imaging facility should have someone available who will give you a brief explanation of your examination and be able to answer any questions you may have.


Q. How soon will my doctor know the results of my examination?
A. A high-quality imaging facility should ensure that the report to your doctor is dictated as quickly as possible but usually within twenty-four hours of your examination. Depending on the urgency of your examination, you doctor should receive the results either immediately or within a few days.