Whidbey General Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of Accreditation in Nuclear Medicine as a result of a survey by the American College of Radiology.

“By 2012, all advanced diagnostic imaging modalities will be required by law to have accreditation,” said Trish Rose, hospital spokeswoman. “Whidbey General passed this extremely onerous test the first time we tried, and we are one of a relatively small number of hospitals in Washington to have achieved this landmark.”

The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer review evaluation of practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.

Nuclear Medicine is a branch of radiology that uses radioactive tracers and drugs to assess disease and illness. Rose said Whidbey General “provides state-of-the-art equipment and professionals to perform most nuclear medicine procedures.”

Nuclear medicine procedures include examinations of the skeleton, kidneys, thyroid, lungs and gall bladder. While Ultrasound, CAT scan, and MRI provide anatomical imaging, nuclear medicine actually demonstrates body and organ function, giving a clear picture for physicians.