Blessing Health Hannibal breast biopsy technology earns national accreditation

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Blessing Health Hannibal has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in stereotactic breast biopsy as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology, earning the organization’s gold seal of accreditation.

A breast biopsy is performed to remove cells from an area in the breast suspected to be cancerous. These cells are examined under a microscope to determine a diagnosis. During a stereotactic breast biopsy, a special mammography machine helps guide the radiologist’s instruments to the site of an abnormal growth. For women whose condition qualifies for stereo tactic breast biopsy, it is less invasive than surgical biopsy and leaves little to no scarring. 

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 parameters and technical standards as determined by board-certified physicians and medical physicists after a peer-review evaluation.

During the peer review, 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 that can be used for continuous practice improvement.

The ACR is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions involved in radiological care.