(AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY) -- On Monday, Jan. 25, the ACR responded with a letter to the editor of the New York Times regarding a series of articles concerning adverse events associated with radiation oncology treatments performed in New York State and elsewhere.

The ACR informed the Times that radiation oncology continues to save countless lives and represents a critical advance in cancer care. The College also stated that while the cases on which they reported are unfortunate and certainly require review to help ensure such mistakes are not repeated, the overwhelming majority of patients safely receive the correct care.

The ACR also stressed that the joint ACR/ASTRO accreditation program can significantly reduce the odds of such unfortunate events occurring and reinforced the need for substantive and standardized manufacturer education for radiation therapists and medical physicist involved in operating of equipment.

The College will post a link to the letter on the ACR web site if/when the letter is published and will continue to educate and work with all stakeholders to ensure that patients receive safe, appropriate care.