| Low-value medical imaging exams | ||||||||
| Exam | More sensitive version of measures | More specific version of measures | ||||||
| Count per 100 beneficiaries | % low-value care | Spending (in millions) | % low-value spending | Count per 100 beneficiaries | % low-value care | Spending (in millions) | % low-value spending | |
| Imaging for nonspecific low-back pain | 12.4 | 15 | 226 | 3 | 4.5 | 14 | 82 | 4 |
| Stress testing for stable coronary disease | 7.8 | 10 | 2,065 | 24 | 0.8 | 2 | 212 | 11 |
| Colon cancer screening for elderly patients (excludes CTC) | 7.7 | 10 | 573 | 7 | 0.9 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Carotid screening for asymptomatic patients | 6.6 | 8 | 323 | 4 | 5.6 | 17 | 274 | 14 |
| Preoperative chest radiography | 5.5 | 7 | 75 | 1 | 1.6 | 5 | 22 | 1 |
| Head imaging for headache | 3.4 | 4 | 211 | 2 | 2.4 | 7 | 146 | 8 |
| Head imaging for syncope | 1.4 | 2 | 85 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 60 | 3 |
| Bone mineral density testing at frequent intervals | 1 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0.8 | 3 | 17 | 1 |
| Carotid artery screening for syncope | 1 | 1 | 49 | 1 | 0.7 | 2 | 33 | 2 |
| Preoperative echocardiography | 0.8 | 1 | 58 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 21 | 1 |
| Preoperative stress testing | 0.7 | 1 | 180 | 2 | 0.3 | 1 | 81 | 4 |
| CT for rhinosinusitis | 0.6 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
Low-value medical imaging exams
May 12, 2014
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