CT Double-Scans Drop for Radiologists, But Not Nonradiologists

Medicare policy initiatives regarding the use of thoracic and abdominal CT double-scans reduced the rate among radiologists, but not as much among nonradiologists, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Researchers from the University of Colorado in Aurora, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, sought to examine trends in the relative utilization of double-scan CT before and after 2006 legislation mandating relevant Medicare reporting initiatives.

Data were obtained from the Medicare Physician Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files from 2001 through 2012 to identify claims for thoracic and abdominal CT examinations. The researchers looked for the use of double-scan CT between radiologists and nonradiologists.

The results showed that use of both CT examinations by radiologists were decreasing already in 2001 and continued to do so following the CMS mandate, while this was not the case with nonradiologists.

Change from 2001 to 2006

Change from 2006 to 2012

“Double-scan rates were significantly lower for radiologists than nonradiologists for all years for abdominal CT and for all years after 2006 legislation for thoracic CT,” the authors wrote.

The researchers concluded that CMS initiatives designed to reduce costs and radiation exposure to patients influenced radiologists at greater rates than nonradiologists.