JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Johnson City Medical Center has earned national accreditation for its Positron Emission Tomography by the American College of Radiology.

“The PET staff has been working really hard to deliver quality scans and readings,” said Patti McNutt, technical manager of the program. “This accreditation validates everything we’re trying to accomplish here at the hospital.”

JCMC’s commitment to patient safety and quality care in PET imaging was acknowledged by a group of medical physicists and board-certified physicians who are experts in the field. The ACR accredits facilities that meet national standards, have qualified personnel to interpret scanned images and maintain quality equipment.

PET scans allow physicians to detect heart disease, cancer and brain disorders by producing molecular images of the body. These images contain information about cell function, body chemistry and disease location that help doctors plan appropriate treatment.

About Mountain States Health Alliance

Mountain States Health Alliance, a not-for-profit healthcare organization based in Johnson City, Tenn., operates a family of hospitals serving a 29-county, four-state region (Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Southeastern Kentucky and Western North Carolina). Mountain States offers a large tertiary hospital, several community hospitals, two critical access hospitals, rehabilitation, a children's hospital, a behavioral health hospital, home care and hospice services as well as a comprehensive medical management corporation. Its 9,000 team members are committed to its mission of bringing loving care to health care. For more information, visit www.msha.com.