MRI Accreditation Program Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does the MRI Accreditation Program evaluate?

A. The program is designed to be educational in nature, and it evaluates qualifications of personnel, equipment performance, effectiveness of quality control measures, and quality of clinical images. It is believed that these are the primary factors that impact the quality of clinical images and the quality of patient care.

Q. Can any MRI facility apply for MRI accreditation?

A. MRI facilities that perform whole body imaging may apply for accreditation at this time. Accreditation modules for exams performed on specialty magnets will be considered in future program development.

Q. What is the most common cause for failure?

A. Clinical image deficiencies or a combination of clinical and phantom image deficiencies.

Q. Do sites have to submit images within a certain time frame?

A. Sites are given a ninety-day time frame to complete the testing portion of the accreditation process (sixty days for repeating.) There are specific instructions in the testing package that designate a two-week time period in which phantom scanning and the collection of clinical images must be completed.

Q. Do sites undergo a site survey as part of the accreditation process?

A. The accreditation process is conducted primarily through the U.S. mail. The ACR will perform random site visits with prior notification to validate maintenance of accreditation criteria.

Q. Will MRI accreditation become mandatory?

A. The ACR MRI Accreditation Program is a voluntary process. However, several third-party payers have recognized the ACR MRI Accreditation Program as a method of demonstrating quality and consequently require ACR accreditation for their providers of MRI services.

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