January 31, 2012 — Since its launch less than a year ago, more than one million computed tomography (CT) scans have been contributed to the American College of Radiology (ACR) Dose Index Registry (DIR) and compiled for analysis. The DIR currently has 326 registered facilities including private practices, hospital-based facilities and academic centers.
Data collected from the DIR — which allows imaging facilities to compare their CT dose indices to regional and national values — is used to establish national benchmarks for CT dose indices to help ensure that patients receive safe, quality imaging care.
“The tremendous interest and participation we’ve seen to date shows that medical imaging providers are committed to optimizing the radiation dose that their patients receive from CT scans. With one million scans already, we are well on our way to establishing national benchmarks. Those benchmarks will enhance our ability, and that of individual facilities, to track dose reduction efforts over time and ultimately lower the radiation dose that Americans receive from medical imaging scans,” said Richard L. Morin, Ph.D., chair of the ACR Dose Index Registry.
The DIR is part of the overall ACR approach to medical radiation reduction, which includes mandatory accreditation of all medical imaging providers and greater adoption of computerized decision support/imaging ordering systems based on ACR Appropriateness Criteria.
For more information: nrdr.acr.org
