NORTHAMPTON – Cooley Dickinson Hospital's MRI departments in Amherst and Northampton have each earned three-year accreditations in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following independent reviews by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The accreditation validates CDH's expertise in performing advanced diagnostic imaging studies. Breast MRI offers valuable information about conditions that may not be obtained by other imaging studies, such as mammography or ultrasound.

William McBride, MRI supervisor, said the accreditation "is an independent validation of our expertise in performing advanced diagnostic imaging studies."

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded to facilities that meet ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists. The accreditation assesses image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs.