Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Long before oncology imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) set the PET market on fire, there was another PET radiotracer that offered the advantage of Medicare reimbursement: rubidium, used in myocardial perfusion studies.
But rubidium PET never really caught on like FDG-PET, in large measure due to the ready availability of a more economical alternative: SPECT-based myocardial perfusion imaging.
The situation could change soon, however, thanks to a recent boost in Medicare reimbursement for rubidium PET that more than triples the payment level for studies that use it. Contributing writer Wayne Forrest reports on rubidium's potential in an article featured in our Molecular Imaging Digital Community.
Industry observers believe the new payment level could lead to a rapid jump in use of rubidium, and could even lead to some SPECT perfusion studies shifting to PET. There are also other advantages to using rubidium versus SPECT, such as shorter exam times.
Read all about what could be the next big thing in PET by clicking here. Or visit the Molecular Imaging Digital Community at molecular.auntminnie.com, for the latest news in molecular imaging.
