A set of computer programs to facilitate the ACR accreditation process

651 Learning Objectives: To understand how satisfying ACR accreditation requirements can be simplified for the applicant. Abstract (summary): Many nuclear medicine departments are applying for Nuclear Medicine accreditation from the ACR. We have developed software that facilitates this process. The programs run in the environment of the nuclear medicine processing systems currently in use at our facilities (GE Entegra and Xeleris computer systems). The language used is a version of Visual-Basic (“Aladdin,” GE Medical Systems). Using the manufacturer’s operating system is advantageous because the technologists are familiar with the techniques common to the routinely used analysis programs. This facilitates learning use of our new algorithms. The programs for processing the ACR data have been used for various Phillips and GE cameras. The data are sent to the processing computer via the DICOM (NEMA) transfer protocol. Programs have been developed for filming images with labels (e.g., orientation, hospital name, etc.), calculating parameters for required phantom studies, and quality assurance tests needed to maintain accreditation. Programs also have been developed to display uniformity, contrast and resolution images, and compute sphere contrast, of SPECT phantoms. Other programs label uniformity and planar resolution images, and compute flood field uniformity and misregistration parameters of multi-energy window 67Ga point sources. The software automatically reads available header information, but due to potential DICOM problems, allowances are made for the technologist to manually input information. While these programs have not been submitted to the ACR for their approval, per se, they have been used for successful accreditation of several facilities by the ACR.