Ultrasound Lab Certification

Certification and accreditation of laboratories that perform or interpret ultrasound tests is undergone to prove the professionalism and good working practices of the lab.

Basics of Certification

• To gain accreditation from a particular authority, the labs must submit thorough documentation to be reviewed by the authority. Ultrasounds form part of the documentation to be reviewed which is performed by experts in the field.

Timeline

• Accreditation of a particular lab only lasts for a specific time period, for example, three years in the case of certification by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL) and the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). Labs must go through the certification process to remain accredited.

Reasons for Certification

• Ultrasound labs undergo accreditation to compete with other labs and also to fulfill requirements of health insurance agencies, who wish to deal only with accredited labs. An example of an accreditation which may be acceptable to health insurers is the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.