Today's health care organizations are held to very high levels of accountability — by peers, by the general public and by Medicare and other payers. IAC accreditation is a means by which laboratories can evaluate and demonstrate the level of patient care they provide.

The IAC is comprised of six divisions, each ensuring high quality patient care and promoting health care within a specific medical specialty, including the testing areas of noninvasive vascular, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology / nuclear medicine / PET, magnetic resonance, computed tomography and carotid artery stenting.

IAC accreditation is an educational process, not a pass-fail exam.

The accreditation process is similarly structured for each IAC division (ICAVL, ICAEL, ICANL, ICAMRL, ICACTL and ICACSF). The process begins with a comprehensive self-evaluation by laboratory staff. Completing the accreditation application requires information on all aspects of laboratory operation as well as the submission of actual case studies for review. After the completed application has been submitted to the IAC, it undergoes a confidential peer review by specially trained reviewers. The final decision is then made by the Board of Directors.

The IAC does not restrict accreditation to the "perfect" imaging laboratory.

Rather, accreditation is based on a policy of substantial compliance with the Standards, the specific guidelines for imaging accreditation developed for each IAC division. The IAC provides guidance to assist the laboratory in meeting the requirements of the Standards.