BHS Imaging

What should I know about radiation safety?
Before your imaging procedure be sure to ask your physician the following questions:

• Why is the test needed?
• How will having the test improve my care?
• Are there alternatives that do not use radiation and deliver similar results?
• Is the facility accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR)?
• Are pediatric and adult tests delivered using the appropriate radiation doses?

Why should I have my imaging exam done at an accredited facility?
When you see the gold seals of accreditation prominently displayed in our imaging facility, you can be sure that you are in a facility that meets standards for imaging quality and safety. Look for the ACR Gold Seals of Accreditation.

To achieve the ACR Gold Standard of Accreditation, our facility's personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance, and quality control procedures have gone through a rigorous review process and have met specific qualifications. It's important for patients to know that every aspect of the ACR accreditation process is overseen by board-certified, expert radiologists and medical physicists in advanced diagnostic imaging.

What does ACR accreditation mean?

• Our facility has voluntarily gone through a vigorous review process to ensure that we meet nationally-accepted standards of care.
• Our personnel are well qualified, through education and certification, to perform mdical imaging, interpret your images, and administer your radiation therapy treatments.
• Our equipment is appropriate for the test or treatment you will receive, and our facility meets or exceeds quality assurance and safety guidelines.

What does the gold seal mean?
When you see the ACR gold seal, you can rest assured that your prescribed imaging test will be done at a facility that has met the highest level of imaging quality and radiation safety. The facility and its personnel have gone through a comprehensive review to earn accreditation status by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the largest and oldest imaging accrediting body in the U.S. and a professional organization of 34,000 physicians.

An MRI is a painless diagnostic procedure in which magnets and radio waves create a detailed image of your inner body. There is no radiation involved in an MRI scan. The test involves lying on a table that slides into a large tube. It can be loud inside this tube when the machine is running, so patients are usually given earplugs. Though there is no physical sensation during the scan, some people feel claustrophobic inside MRIs. A doctor may administer a sedative to help you relax, and you will be able to speak with someone through an intercom the entire time. The process takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

CT stands for computerized tomography, a combination of x-rays and computer imaging that creates a detailed picture of the body’s organs and other internal structures. For the procedure, you will enter a room where doctors can observe from a large window. There is an intercom in the room so both patient and doctor can communicate with each other. You lie on a large table that slides into a large circle. Unlike an MRI, this circle does not encompass your whole body, alleviating claustrophobia concerns. The machine rotates around your body and takes numerous x-rays. These images are sent to a computer that creates highly detailed images to be reviewed by a radiologist for diagnosis.