St. John's Earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center Designation

The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation recognizes facilities that have committed to offering quality, safe and effective lung cancer diagnostic screenings, treatment and follow up care.

In order to receive this elite distinction, facilities must be accredited by the ACR in CT scans of the chest – a safe, computerized scan which combines a series of x-ray images taken from different angles to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Facilities must also undergo a rigorous assessment of their lung cancer screening program and have procedures in place for follow-up patient care, such as counseling and smoking cessation programs.

“This designation is a testament to the superior, safe and high quality care our community can expect to receive at our hospitals,” says Kim Spencer, senior director of cardiovascular, oncology and imaging services. “We are proud of the ACR designation and we look forward to positively impacting the lives of those in our community.”

Lung cancer screening, and appropriate follow-up care, significantly reduces lung cancer deaths. In December 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended screening of adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Lung cancer is the nation’s leading cancer killer – taking the lives of more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

The ACR, founded in 1924, is one of the largest and most influential medical associations in the United States. The ACR devotes its resources to making imaging and radiation therapy safe, effective and accessible to those who need it. Its 36,000 members include radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians.