Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Are you looking for the best place to get a comprehensive preview of all the scientific sessions at the upcoming RSNA 2014 meeting? Look no further than our Road to RSNA.
Road to RSNA provides you with a comprehensive look at the most important research being presented at radiology's showcase meeting, set to start at the end of this month. You'll get a brief synopsis of each highlighted study, as well as times and room locations, all in an easy-to-use, modality-by-modality format.
We kicked off Road to RSNA yesterday with a preview of the Imaging Informatics sessions; today you're getting a look at papers in CT.
You can check out our entire RADCast @ RSNA section at rsna.auntminnie.com, including stories about RSNA's plans for celebrating the meeting's centennial and a unique radiology art exhibit by a Dutch medical physicist.
DBT gets Medicare CPT codes
In other news, the breast imaging community has received good news in the form of new Medicare current procedural terminology (CPT) codes for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).
The move will clear up confusion over DBT, which until now was paid for at the same rate as a regular full-field digital mammography exam, despite its higher cost and improved clinical utility. DBT proponents believe the move will most likely spur new clinical adoption of the technology.
The DBT news came as the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released 2015 payment rates, and as a whole radiology and radiation oncology fared better than in past years. CMS backed away from a proposal to cut radiation oncology services by 4% and radiation therapy centers by 8%, good news for both of these beleaguered segments.
CT lung screening on the edge
Hopefully, the Medicare news will be a positive omen for CT lung cancer screening: CMS is expected to rule this week on whether the exam will receive Medicare reimbursement. Screening proponents yesterday issued a final statement calling for payments -- read all about it by clicking here, or visit our CT Community at ct.auntminnie.com.
