The American College of Radiology (ACR) has awarded a three-year gold seal of accreditation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Hutch Regional is the only healthcare facility within 50 miles currently accredited by the ACR to perform Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA). The MRA uses MRI’s magnetic fields and radio waves to produce pictures of blood vessels inside the body, allowing doctors to locate problems that may cause reduced blood flow. The designation is the result of an exhaustive and in depth review conducted by the ACR. The peer review was conducted by a group of board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are certified experts in the field of imaging.

MRI is a noninvasive medical test that utilizes magnetic fields to produce anatomical images of internal body parts to help physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

Raleigh White, Director, Imaging Services, said the national designation represents another validation of image quality and patient safety made possible by our more than 30 board certified staff. “This distinction is awarded sparingly and to hospitals that meet ACR Practice Parameters and technical standards,” White said. “Criteria of the review include Image quality, personnel qualifications, and adequacy of facility equipment. The review also focused on quality control procedures and quality assurance programs.”

Wes Hoyt, Chief Operating Officer for Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) said ACR accreditation is a coveted distinction that all hospitals and clinics nationwide strive for. “This honor is a reflection on the competent and hardworking staff at the Hutch Regional’s Imaging Services,” Hoyt said. “The MRI was installed at the hospital in 2018 as part of the construction of the new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and during the past year, more and more patients from south central and western Kansas have chosen Hutch Regional for an MRI.”

The ACR, established in 1924 and headquartered in Chicago, serves more than 37,000 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.