Diagnostic Reading #39: Five “Must Read” Articles on Medical Imaging
Reading Time: 3 minutes read
Online education and impact of free imaging exams are in the news.
This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: FDA supports advancement of digital health technology; time of day may affect mammogram diagnosis; free imaging exam greatly increases utilization; online teaching from ESHNR; and Medicare reimbursement for radiology AI.
FDA launches digital health center of excellence – Axis Imaging News
The U.S. FDA announces that it is launching the Digital Health Center of Excellence within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). According to officials, this is an important step in furthering the agency’s overarching dedication to the advancement of digital health technology, including mobile health devices, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), wearables when used as a medical device and technologies used to study medical products.
Reading mammograms? Focus on early morning and mid-afternoon – Diagnostic Imaging
Time of day can affect how well a radiologist can identify and diagnose normal lesions on a mammogram, according to a study published in Clinical Radiology. If it is late morning or late afternoon, researchers suggest taking extra time to help make an accurate diagnosis. Since existing literature clearly outlines that the time of day does impact cognitive function—including reading competence, as well as visual selective attention, visual working memory and decision-making—the authors contend that if you are reading a mammogram right after an early-morning breakfast or right before your shift is over, your diagnostic accuracy will likely be different.
Offering imaging exam for free increases utilization by 546% – Radiology Business
Offering CT coronary artery calcium (CAC) screening at no cost led to a 546% average monthly increase in the use of the test, experts reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Providers typically use these scans to help predict a patient’s risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death, but each screening can cost between $400 – $800 and insurers typically do not cover the cost. Aiming to boost the use of this “crucial” screening tool, University Hospitals Health System in Cleveland started offering coronary artery calcium tests for free.
ESHNR 2020 online education – Healthcare-in-Europe
The European Society of Head and Neck Radiology (ESHNR) is offering 20 hours of online education in the form of on-demand webinars. From October 24 – December 7, 2020, registered attendees can watch a careful selection of webinars on the most common head and neck topics. These 20 lectures, featuring renowned speakers from Europe and beyond, are covering the most important topics in head and neck imaging.
Will Medicare reimbursement propel radiology AI market? – AuntMinnie
The decision by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) to provide its first-ever reimbursement of a radiology artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm was a significant milestone for the industry, raising hopes that it could set the groundwork for broader coverage of imaging AI software. New technology add-on payments (NTAPs) are granted by CMS for new and high-priced technologies that provide a substantial clinical benefit and aren’t currently covered under a Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG).
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