§ 900.4 Standards for accreditation bodies. ( a ) *Code of conduct and general responsibilities.* The accreditation body shall accept the following responsibilities in order to ensure safe and accurate mammography at the facilities it accredits and shall perform these responsibilities in a manner that ensures the integrity and impartiality of accreditation body actions. ( 1 ) ( i ) When an accreditation body receives or discovers information that suggests inadequate image quality, or upon request by FDA, the accreditation body shall review a facility's clinical images or other aspects of a facility's practice to assist FDA in determining whether or not the facility's practice poses a serious risk to human health. Such reviews are in addition to the evaluation an accreditation body performs as part of the initial accreditation or renewal process for facilities.
( ii ) If review by the accreditation body demonstrates that a problem does exist with respect to image quality or other aspects of a facility's compliance with quality standards, or upon request by FDA, the accreditation body shall require or monitor corrective actions, or suspend or revoke accreditation of the facility.
( 2 ) The accreditation body shall inform FDA as soon as possible but in no case longer than 2 business days after becoming aware of equipment or practices that pose a serious risk to human health.
( 3 ) The accreditation body shall establish and administer a quality assurance (QA) program that has been approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section. Such quality assurance program shall: ( i ) Include requirements for clinical image review and phantom image review;
( ii ) Ensure that clinical and phantom images are evaluated consistently and accurately; and
( iii ) Specify the methods and frequency of training and evaluation for clinical and phantom image reviewers, and the bases and procedures for removal of such reviewers.
( 4 ) The accreditation body shall establish measures that FDA has approved in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section to reduce the possibility of conflict of interest or facility bias on the part of individuals acting on the body's behalf. Such individuals who review clinical or phantom images under the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section or who visit facilities under the provisions of paragraph (f) of this section shall not review clinical or phantom images from or visit a facility with which such individuals maintain a relationship, or when it would otherwise be a conflict of interest for them to do so, or when they have a bias in favor of or against the facility.
( 5 ) The accreditation body may require specific equipment performance or design characteristics that FDA has approved. However, no accreditation body shall require, either explicitly or implicitly, the use of any specific brand of imaging system or component, measuring device, software package, or other commercial product as a condition for accreditation by the body, unless FDA determines that it is in the best interest of public health to do so. ( i ) Any representation, actual or implied, either orally, in sales literature, or in any other form of representation, that the purchase or use of a particular product brand is required in order for any facility to be accredited or certified under § 900.11(b), is prohibited, unless FDA approves such representation.
( ii ) Unless FDA has approved the exclusive use and promotion of a particular commercial product in accordance with this section, all products produced, distributed, or sold by an accreditation body or an organization that has a financial or other relationship with the accreditation body that may be a conflict of interest or have the appearance of a conflict of interest with the body's accreditation functions, shall bear a disclaimer stating that the purchase or use of such products is not required for accreditation or certification of any facility under § 900.11(b). Any representations about such products shall include a similar disclaimer.
( 6 ) ( i ) When an accreditation body denies accreditation to a facility, the accreditation body shall notify the facility in writing and explain the bases for its decision. The notification shall also describe the appeals process available from the accreditation body for the facility to contest the decision.
( ii ) If a facility has failed to become accredited after three consecutive attempts, no accreditation body shall accept an application for accreditation from the facility for a period of 1 year from the date of the most recent accreditation failure.
( 7 ) No accreditation body may establish requirements that preclude facilities from being accredited under § 900.11(b) by any other accreditation body, or require accreditation by itself under MQSA if another accreditation body is available to a facility.
( 8 ) The accreditation body shall obtain FDA authorization for any changes it proposes to make in any standards that FDA has previously accepted under § 900.3(d).
( 9 ) An accreditation body shall establish procedures to protect confidential information it collects or receives in its role as an accreditation body. ( i ) Nonpublic information collected from facilities for the purpose of carrying out accreditation body responsibilities shall not be used for any other purpose or disclosed, other than to FDA or its duly designated representatives, including State agencies, without the consent of the facility;
( ii ) Nonpublic information that FDA or its duly designated representatives, including State agencies, share with the accreditation body concerning a facility that is accredited or undergoing accreditation by that body shall not be further disclosed except with the written permission of FDA.
( b ) *Monitoring facility compliance with quality standards.* ( 1 ) The accreditation body shall require that each facility it accredits meet standards for the performance of quality mammography that are substantially the same as those in this subpart and in subpart B of this part.
( 2 ) The accreditation body shall notify a facility regarding equipment, personnel, and other aspects of the facility's practice that do not meet such standards and advise the facility that such equipment, personnel, or other aspects of the practice should not be used by the facility for activities within the scope of part 900.
( 3 ) The accreditation body shall specify the actions that facilities shall take to correct deficiencies in equipment, personnel, and other aspects of the practice to ensure facility compliance with applicable standards.
( 4 ) If deficiencies cannot be corrected to ensure compliance with standards or if a facility is unwilling to take corrective actions, the accreditation body shall immediately so notify FDA, and shall suspend or revoke the facility's accreditation in accordance with the policies and procedures described under § 900.3(b)(3)(iii)(I).
( c ) *Clinical image review for accreditation and reaccreditation* — ( 1 ) *Frequency of review.* The accreditation body shall review clinical images from each facility accredited by the body at least once every 3 years.
( 2 ) *Requirements for clinical image attributes.* The accreditation body shall use the following attributes for all clinical image reviews, unless FDA has approved other attributes: ( i ) *Positioning.* Sufficient breast tissue shall be imaged to ensure that cancers are not likely to be missed because of inadequate positioning.
( ii ) *Compression.* Compression shall be applied in a manner that minimizes the potential obscuring effect of overlying breast tissue and motion artifact.
( iii ) *Exposure level.* Exposure level shall be adequate to visualize breast structures. Images shall be neither underexposed nor overexposed.
( iv ) *Contrast.* Image contrast shall permit differentiation of subtle tissue density differences.
( v ) *Sharpness.* Margins of normal breast structures shall be distinct and not blurred.
( vi ) *Noise.* Noise in the image shall not obscure breast structures or suggest the appearance of structures not actually present.
( vii ) *Artifacts.* Artifacts due to lint, processing, scratches, and other factors external to the breast shall not obscure breast structures or suggest the appearance of structures not actually present.
( viii ) *Examination identification.* Each image shall have the following information indicated on it in a permanent, legible, and unambiguous manner and placed so as not to obscure anatomic structures: ( A ) Name of the patient and an additional patient identifier.
( B ) Date of examination.
( C ) *View and laterality.* This information shall be placed on the image in a position near the axilla. Standardized codes specified by the accreditation body and approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section shall be used to identify view and laterality.
( D ) *Facility name and location.* At a minimum, the location shall include the city, State, and zip code of the facility.
( E ) Technologist identification.
( F ) Cassette/screen identification.
( G ) Mammography unit identification, if there is more than one unit in the facility.
( 3 ) *Scoring of clinical images.* Accreditation bodies shall establish and administer a system for scoring clinical images using all attributes specified in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) through (c)(2)(viii) of this section or an alternative system that FDA has approved in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section. The scoring system shall include an evaluation for each attribute. ( i ) The accreditation body shall establish and employ criteria for acceptable and nonacceptable results for each of the 8 attributes as well as an overall pass-fail system for clinical image review that has been approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section.
( ii ) All clinical images submitted by a facility to the accreditation body shall be reviewed independently by two or more review physicians.
( 4 ) *Selection of clinical images for review.* Unless otherwise specified by FDA, the accreditation body shall require that for each mammography unit in the facility: ( i ) The facility shall submit craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views from two mammographic examinations that the facility produced during a time period specified by the accreditation body;
( ii ) Clinical images submitted from one such mammographic examination for each unit shall be of dense breasts (predominance of glandular tissue) and the other shall be of fat-replaced breasts (predominance of adipose tissue);
( iii ) All clinical images submitted shall be images that the facility's interpreting physician(s) interpreted as negative or benign.
( iv ) If the facility has no clinical images meeting the requirements in paragraphs (c)(4)(i) through (c)(4)(iii) of this section, it shall so notify the accreditation body, which shall specify alternative clinical image selection methods that do not compromise care of the patient.
( 5 ) *Review physicians.* Accreditation bodies shall ensure that all of their review physicians: ( i ) Meet the interpreting physician requirements specified in § 900.12(a)(1) and meet such additional requirements as have been established by the accreditation body and approved by FDA;
( ii ) Are trained and evaluated in the clinical image review process, for the types of clinical images to be evaluated by a review physician, by the accreditation body before designation as review physicians and periodically thereafter; and
( iii ) Clearly document their findings and reasons for assigning a particular score to any clinical image and provide information to the facility for use in improving the attributes for which significant deficiencies were identified.
( 6 ) *Image management.* The accreditation body's QA program shall include a tracking system to ensure the security and return to the facility of all clinical images received and to ensure completion of all clinical image reviews by the body in a timely manner. The accreditation body shall return all clinical images to the facility within 60 days of their receipt by the body, with the following exceptions: ( i ) If the clinical images are needed earlier by the facility for clinical purposes, the accreditation body shall cooperate with the facility to accommodate such needs.
( ii ) If a review physician identifies a suspicious abnormality on an image submitted for clinical image review, the accreditation body shall ensure that this information is provided to the facility and that the clinical images are returned to the facility. Both shall occur no later than 10-business days after identification of the suspected abnormality.
( 7 ) *Notification of unsatisfactory image quality.* If the accreditation body determines that the clinical images received from a facility are of unsatisfactory quality, the body shall notify the facility of the nature of the problem and its possible causes.
( d ) *Phantom image review for accreditation and reaccreditation* — ( 1 ) *Frequency of review.* The accreditation body shall review phantom images from each facility accredited by the body at least once every 3 years.
( 2 ) *Requirements for the phantom used.* The accreditation body shall require that each facility submit for review phantom images that the facility produced using a phantom and methods of use specified by the body and approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section.
( 3 ) *Scoring phantom images.* The accreditation body shall use a system for scoring phantom images that has been approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(b) and (d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section.
( 4 ) *Phantom images selected for review.* For each mammography unit in the facility, the accreditation body shall require the facility to submit phantom images that the facility produced during a time period specified by the body.
( 5 ) *Phantom image reviewers.* Accreditation bodies shall ensure that all of their phantom image reviewers: ( i ) Meet the requirements specified in § 900.12(a)(3) or alternative requirements established by the accreditation body and approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3 or paragraph (a)(8) of this section;
( ii ) Are trained and evaluated in the phantom image review process, for the types of phantom images to be evaluated by a phantom image reviewer, by the accreditation body before designation as phantom image reviewers and periodically thereafter; and
( iii ) Clearly document their findings and reasons for assigning a particular score to any phantom image and provide information to the facility for use in improving its phantom image quality with regard to the significant deficiencies identified.
( 6 ) *Image management.* The accreditation body's QA program shall include a tracking system to ensure the security of all phantom images received and to ensure completion of all phantom image reviews by the body in a timely manner. All phantom images that result in a failure of accreditation shall be returned to the facility.
( 7 ) *Notification measures for unsatisfactory image quality.* If the accreditation body determines that the phantom images received from a facility are of unsatisfactory quality, the body shall notify the facility of the nature of the problem and its possible causes.
( e ) *Reports of mammography equipment evaluation, surveys, and quality control.* The following requirements apply to all facility equipment covered by the provisions of subparts A and B: ( 1 ) The accreditation body shall require every facility applying for accreditation to submit: ( i ) With its initial accreditation application, a mammography equipment evaluation that was performed by a medical physicist no earlier than 6 months before the date of application for accreditation by the facility. Such evaluation shall demonstrate compliance of the facility's equipment with the requirements in § 900.12(e).
( ii ) Prior to accreditation, a survey that was performed no earlier than 6 months before the date of application for accreditation by the facility. Such survey shall assess the facility's compliance with the facility standards referenced in paragraph (b) of this section.
( 2 ) The accreditation body shall require that all facilities undergo an annual survey to ensure continued compliance with the standards referenced in paragraph (b) of this section and to provide continued oversight of facilities' quality control programs as they relate to such standards. The accreditation body shall require for all facilities that: ( i ) Such surveys be conducted annually;
( ii ) Facilities take reasonable steps to ensure that they receive reports of such surveys within 30 days of survey completion; and
( iii ) Facilities submit the results of such surveys and any other information that the body may require to the body at least annually.
( 3 ) The accreditation body shall review and analyze the information required in this section and use it to identify necessary corrective measures for facilities and to determine whether facilities should remain accredited by the body.
( f ) *Accreditation body onsite visits and random clinical image reviews.* The accreditation body shall conduct onsite visits and random clinical image reviews of a sample of facilities to monitor and assess their compliance with standards established by the body for accreditation. The accreditation body shall submit annually to FDA, at the address given in § 900.3(b)(1), 3 copies of a summary report describing all facility assessments the body conducted under the provisions of this section for the year being reported. ( 1 ) *Onsite visits* — ( i ) *Sample size.* Annually, each accreditation body shall visit at least 5 percent of the facilities it accredits. However, a minimum of 5 facilities shall be visited, and visits to no more than 50 facilities are required, unless problems identified in paragraph (f)(1)(i)(B) of this section indicate a need to visit more than 50 facilities. ( A ) At least 50 percent of the facilities visited shall be selected randomly.
( B ) Other facilities visited shall be selected based on problems identified through State or FDA inspections, serious complaints received from consumers or others, a previous history of noncompliance, or any other information in the possession of the accreditation body, inspectors, or FDA.
( C ) Before, during, or after any facility visit, the accreditation body may require that the facility submit to the body for review clinical images, phantom images, or any other information relevant to applicable standards in this subpart and in subpart B of this part.
( ii ) *Visit plan.* The accreditation body shall conduct facility onsite visits according to a visit plan that has been approved by FDA in accordance with § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section, unless otherwise directed by FDA in particular circumstances. At a minimum, such a plan shall provide for: ( A ) Assessment of overall clinical image QA activities of the facility;
( B ) Review of facility documentation to determine if appropriate mammography reports are sent to patients and providers as required;
( C ) Selection of a sample of clinical images for clinical image review by the accreditation body. Clinical images shall be selected in a manner specified by the accreditation body and approved by FDA that does not compromise care of the patient as a result of the absence of the selected images from the facility;
( D ) Verification that the facility has a medical audit system in place and is correlating films and pathology reports for positive cases;
( E ) Verification that personnel specified by the facility are the ones actually performing designated personnel functions;
( F ) Verification that equipment specified by the facility is the equipment that is actually being used to perform designated equipment functions;
( G ) Verification that a consumer complaint mechanism is in place and that the facility is following its procedures; and
( H ) Review of all factors related to previously identified concerns or concerns identified during that visit.
( 2 ) *Clinical image review for random sample of facilities* — ( i ) *Sample size.* In addition to conducting clinical image reviews for accreditation and reaccreditation for all facilities, the accreditation body shall conduct clinical image reviews annually for a randomly selected sample as specified by FDA, but to include at least 3 percent of the facilities the body accredits. Accreditation bodies may count toward this random sample requirement all facilities selected randomly for the onsite visits described in paragraph (f)(1)(i)(A) of this section. Accreditation bodies shall not count toward the random sample requirement any facilities described in paragraph (f)(1)(i)(B) of this section that were selected for a visit because of previously identified concerns.
( ii ) *Random clinical image review.* In performing clinical image reviews of the random sample of facilities, accreditation bodies shall evaluate the same attributes as those in paragraph (c) of this section for review of clinical images for accreditation and reaccreditation.
( iii ) Accreditation bodies should not schedule random clinical image reviews at facilities that have received notification of the need to begin the accreditation renewal process or that have completed the accreditation renewal process within the previous 6 months.
( iv ) *Selection of the random sample of clinical images for clinical image review by the accreditation body.* Clinical images shall be selected in a manner, specified by the accreditation body and approved by FDA under § 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section, that does not compromise care of the patient as a result of the absence of the selected images from the facility.
( g ) *Consumer complaint mechanism.* The accreditation body shall develop and administer a written and documented system, including timeframes, for collecting and resolving serious consumer complaints that could not be resolved at a facility. Such system shall have been approved by FDA in accordance with§ 900.3(d) or paragraph (a)(8) of this section. Accordingly, all accreditation bodies shall: ( 1 ) Provide a mechanism for all facilities it accredits to file serious unresolved complaints with the accreditation body;
( 2 ) Maintain a record of every serious unresolved complaint received by the body on all facilities it accredits for a period of at least 3 years from the date of receipt of each such complaint;
( h ) *Reporting and recordkeeping.* All reports to FDA specified in paragraphs (h)(1) through (h)(4) of this section shall be prepared and submitted in a format and medium prescribed by FDA and shall be submitted to a location and according to a schedule specified by FDA. The accreditation body shall: ( 1 ) Collect and submit to FDA the information required by 42 U.S.C. 263b(d) for each facility when the facility is initially accredited and at least annually when updated, in a manner and at a time specified by FDA.
( 2 ) Accept applications containing the information required in 42 U.S.C. 263b(c)(2) for provisional certificates and in § 900.11(b)(3) for extension of provisional certificates, on behalf of FDA, and notify FDA of the receipt of such information;
( 3 ) Submit to FDA the name, identifying information, and other information relevant to 42 U.S.C. 263b and specified by FDA for any facility for which the accreditation body denies, suspends, or revokes accreditation, and the reason(s) for such action;
( 4 ) Submit to FDA an annual report summarizing all serious complaints received during the previous calendar year, their resolution status, and any actions taken in response to them;
( 5 ) Provide to FDA other information relevant to 42 U.S.C. 263b and required by FDA about any facility accredited or undergoing accreditation by the body.
( i ) *Fees.* Fees charged to facilities for accreditation shall be reasonable. Costs of accreditation body activities that are not related to accreditation functions under 42 U.S.C. 263b are not recoverable through fees established for accreditation. ( 1 ) The accreditation body shall make public its fee structure, including those factors, if any, contributing to variations in fees for different facilities.
( 2 ) At FDA's request, accreditation bodies shall provide financial records or other material to assist FDA in assessing the reasonableness of accreditation body fees. Such material shall be provided to FDA in a manner and time period specified by the agency.
[62 FR 55976, Oct. 28, 1997; 62 FR 60614, Nov. 10, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 32407, June 17, 1999; 88 FR 15168, Mar. 10, 2023]