American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

In an increasingly competitive healthcare climate of limited resources, it is imperative that ultrasound practitioners demonstrate excellence and competency in their practices. With the rapid expansion of ultrasound technology and the increasing number of physicians using ultrasound as a diagnostic tool, it is critical that standards are established to promote high-quality patient care. The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council has developed standards for the accreditation of ultrasound practices.

• Proves commitment to the highest quality patient care
• Demonstrates clinical excellence
• Provides credibility to peers

AIUM promotes the safe and effective use of ultrasound in medicine through its educational, scientific, literary, and professional activities. Ultrasound is like ordinary sound except it has a frequency (or pitch) higher than people can hear. Ultrasound is sent into the body from a scanning instrument (transducer) placed on the patient's skin. The sound is reflected off structures inside the body and is analyzed by a computer to make a picture of these structures on a television screen. Ultrasound should be used only where medical benefit is expected.