LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

CT scanning, sometimes referred to as a “CAT scan,” is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for a variety of medical conditions.

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.

The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 36,000 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.

“We are so proud of our staff for their effort in earning this accreditation,” said Jose Aponte, director of the Sutter Lakeside Imaging Department. “The CT is an important tool that our clinicians use to diagnose our patients close-to-home. It’s vital to have this level of testing in Lake County and this accreditation is one more way of demonstrating that we’re doing the right thing for our patients.”

In applying for accreditation, 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.

To learn more about Sutter Lakeside, visit www.sutterlakeside.org/  .