September 8th, 2011

Christie Clinic was granted accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories in Nuclear Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Position Emission Tomography (PET). Accreditation by the ICANL means that Christie Clinic has undergone a thorough review of its operational and technical components by a panel of experts. The ICANL grants accreditation only to those facilities that are found to be providing quality patient care, in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive process including detailed case study review.

Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Early detection of life threatening heart disorders and other diseases is possible through the use of nuclear cardiology procedures performed within hospitals, outpatient centers, and physicians’ offices. The skill of the nuclear medicine technologist performing an examination in nuclear cardiology, the type of equipment used, the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician and quality assurance measures are each critical to quality patient testing.

Christie Clinic’s laboratory is one of a growing number of nuclear medicine laboratories in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico to be so recognized for its commitment to high quality patient care and its provisions of quality diagnostic testing. More than 10 million nuclear medicine imaging and therapeutic procedures are performed each year in the United States, and more than 100 different nuclear medicine tests are available. These tests are capable of diagnosing or ruling out diseases in every major organ system in earlier stages than other available medical procedures. None require surgery or additional diagnostic evaluations.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 1.4 million Americans have a history of cancer, and more than 1.5 million new cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) examinations provide the most effective method of diagnosing or ruling out these conditions. PET shows all the organ systems in the body with one image and replaces multiple medical testing procedures with a single examination.

About Christie Clinic

Christie Clinic has provided health care to the residents of central Illinois for more than 80 years. It is the oldest multi-specialty medical group practice in central Illinois. Christie Clinic has clinics on University Avenue, Windsor Road, and Fox Drive in Champaign; the Christie Clinic Cancer Center and CU Sleep in Champaign; satellite clinics in Danville, Mahomet, Mattoon, Rantoul, Tuscola, and Urbana; Convenient Care at Christie on Windsor (Champaign), Christie in Urbana, in County Market on Kirby & Duncan in Champaign, and in Danville on Vermilion; and Transformations Medical Weight Loss Program at Christie Clinic on Gregory St. in Champaign. For more information about Christie Clinic, please call 217-366-1200, or visit www.christieclinic.com.

About ICANL

The ICANL was established with the support of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Nuclear Medicine, the Academy of Molecular Imaging, and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists. The ICANL provides a peer review mechanism to encourage and recognize the provision of quality nuclear cardiology and nuclear medicine diagnostic evaluations by a process of voluntary accreditation. A non-profit organization, the ICANL is dedicated to ensuring high quality patient care and to promoting health care.

Tags: laboratory, department of radiology