AI Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate changes in noninvasive diagnostic imaging usage among Medicare patients from 1994 to 2013 using a new classification system.
- The results indicated significant increases in MRI (312%) and CT (151%) usage, with notable growth in brain (126%) and spine (74%) imaging, while cardiac imaging saw slight declines.
- The findings highlight the usefulness of the new categorization system in analyzing imaging trends, which could aid in policy-making for improved imaging utilization and appropriateness.
Article Abstract
Objective: The objective of our study was to use a new modality and body region categorization system to assess changing utilization of noninvasive diagnostic imaging in the Medicare fee-for-service population over a recent 20-year period (1994-2013).
Materials And Methods: All Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule services billed between 1994 and 2013 were identified using Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary master files. Billed codes for diagnostic imaging were classified using the Neiman Imaging Types of Service (NITOS) coding system by both modality and body region. Utilization rates per 1000 beneficiaries were calculated for families of services.
Results: Among all diagnostic imaging modalities, growth was greatest for MRI (+312%) and CT (+151%) and was lower for ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and radiography and fluoroscopy (range, +1% to +31%). Among body regions, service growth was greatest for brain (+126%) and spine (+74%) imaging; showed milder growth (range, +18% to +67%) for imaging of the head and neck, breast, abdomen and pelvis, and extremity; and showed slight declines (range, -2% to -7%) for cardiac and chest imaging overall. The following specific imaging service families showed massive (> +100%) growth: cardiac CT, cardiac MRI, and breast MRI.
Conclusion: NITOS categorization permits identification of temporal shifts in noninvasive diagnostic imaging by specific modality- and region-focused families, providing a granular understanding and reproducible analysis of global changes in imaging overall. Service family-level perspectives may help inform ongoing policy efforts to optimize imaging utilization and appropriateness.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.2214/AJr17.18214 | DOI Listing |
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