Lakewood, NJ --- Kimball Medical
Center’s MRI unit has just been granted re-accreditation
by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for a period
of three years.
The ACR is an FDA-designated accrediting body. ACR
accreditation is a voluntary program designed to set quality
standards for practices and help improve quality of care
provided to patients. The accreditation process is
complex, and includes peer review, educationally-focused
evaluation of practice and expert assessment of image quality.
The
Magnetic Resonance Imaging unit produces powerful, detailed
images of the internal structures of the body. The
accredited MRI unit at Kimball can perform the following:
Brain MRI: Commonly
used to study patients with headaches, seizures, weakness,
blurry vision, etc. It also can further evaluate an abnormality
seen on a CT scan.
Spine MRI: Most commonly
used to look for a herniated disc or narrowing of the spinal
canal (spinal stenosis) in patients with neck, arm, back
and/or leg pain. It is also the best test to look for a recurrent
disc herniation in a patient who has had prior back surgery.
Bone and Joint MRI: MRI
can evaluate virtually all of the bones and joints, as well
as the soft tissues. Tendon, ligament, muscle, cartilage
and bone injuries can be diagnosed using MRI scans. It can
also be used to look for infections and masses.
Abdomen MRI: MRI
of the abdomen is most frequently used to further evaluate
an abnormality seen on another test, such as an ultrasound
or CT scan. Thus, the exam is usually tailored to look at
specific organs or tissues, such as the liver, adrenal glands
or pancreas.
Pelvic MRI: For
women, pelvic MRI is used to evaluate the ovaries and uterus
as follow-up to an ultrasound exam which showed an abnormality.
It is also used to evaluate endometrial region. For men,
pelvic MRI is sometimes used to evaluate the prostate.
MR Angiography (MRA): An
MRA evaluates blood vessels. The blood vessels in the neck
(carotid and vertebral arteries) and brain are frequently
studied by MRA to look for areas of narrowing or dilatation.
In the abdomen the arteries supplying blood to the kidneys
are also frequently examined with this technique.
MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography): Used
to replace traditional endoscope for the detection of biliary
disease.
MRI exams can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour.
Depending on the exam and what your ordering physician is
requesting, you may be given an intravenous injection also
known as a contrast injection during the procedure.
MRI
images are thoroughly reviewed and analyzed by a board-certified
radiologist who specializes in MRI testing. Once completed,
a signed report which includes an interpretation of the image
is sent to your primary physician. Your physician will receive
and review your results soon after. At Kimball, a free CD
copy of your MRI exam can be given to share with your physician.
The
Radiology Department at Kimball Medical Center, and all of
its equipment, is fully accredited by the American College
of Radiology. The radiologists are highly experienced
and perform over 90,000 imaging studies annually. They
are each board-certified by the American Board of Radiology,
are fellowship-trained, and offer expertise in a wide range
of areas.
Each are highly specialized in areas including neuroimaging,
muscular-skeletal, body imaging, vascular and general radiology. The
radiology team also includes registered nurses and professional
radiologic technologists, who all work together to provide
the highest quality imaging results possible.
Kimball offers a full array of state-of-the-art diagnostic
imaging services including:
- Diagnostic X-Ray
- Computed Tomography Scans
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- PET/CT Scans (Positron Emission Tomography and Computed
Tomography combined)
- Ultrasound
- Nuclear Medicine
- Interventional Radiology
- Bone Density Testing
For further information about the ACR accreditation or to
schedule an imaging test or procedure at Kimball’s
Radiology Department, please call the Radiology Access Line
at 1-888-724-7123 and press option 2.
Date: October 28, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@barnabashealth.org
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