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Mammography Earns Gold Seal Accreditation
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 The Imaging Department at Penobscot Valley Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Mammography is a specific type of imaging test that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.
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.
In February 2012, Penobscot Valley Hospital installed the Hologic Selenia Digital Mammography system. “The new Selenia equipment offers superior image quality, a lower radiation dose, improved patient comfort and faster exam times. PVH also uses the MammoPad which is a foam pad that covers the mammography plate and provides a softer, warmer experience for patients,” states Heather Hines, PVH Director of Imaging.
PVH is also one of the only facilities in the state to offer a high definition Digitizer which converts past analog films into digital images that are easier to read and allow for better comparison from year to year.
“Our digital mammography equipment is top-of-the-line,” adds Hines. “The PVH Imaging Department is proud to be a recipient of the ACR gold seal of accreditation. Our patients can rest assured that they are receiving the best image quality in the industry right here at our local hospital.”
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 health care services.
The American Cancer Society recommends annual mammography screenings after the age of 40, so talk to your physician about scheduling your yearly exam at Penobscot Valley Hospital or call the PVH Imaging Department at (207) 794-7118 for more information.
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