The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is now accepting public comments on national coverage for CT colonography. Comments will be accepted through June 18, 2008, at the CMS web site.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is now accepting public comments on national coverage for CT colonography. Comments will be accepted through June 18, 2008, at the CMS web site.Currently, Medicare does not list CTC as a possible coverage option under the colorectal cancer screening benefit. But the inclusion of CTC in the American Cancer Society's recently revised cancer screening guidelines gave the modality a major boost. "This is definitely progress toward developing a means for CMS to cover CTC for screening," said Dr. Judy Yee. She cited the ACS recommendations as well as the results of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network 6664 trial for giving the modality its momentum toward wider reimbursement. "The results of (ACRIN 6664) basically showed that CTC has 90% sensitivity for polyps 9 mm and larger, which is similar to optical colonoscopy and better than other currently accepted and covered screening tests such as fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and barium enema," said Yee, vice chair of radiology at the University of California, San Francisco. She added that CTC scored another point when the ACS guidelines specifically delineated it as a test that can detect polyps and cancer. With regard to public comments, the CMS reviewers are particularly interested in clinical studies and other scientific information related to CTC. "We are especially interested as to the types of studies needed if the evidence is determined to be premature for coverage or if the appropriate frequency interval is uncertain," said the CMS website.
Yee recommended that the following studies are worth bringing to the attention of the CMS reviewers:
The CMS decision memo on CTC screening coverage is scheduled for release on Nov. 11, 2008, while the expected national coverage analysis completion date is Feb. 17, 2009.
Click
here
to submit public comments.For more information from the Diagnostic Imaging archives:
CT colonography experts plan for growing demand
CT colonography experts assess new screening guidelines
American Cancer Society blesses virtual colonoscopy for screening
CTC pushes for rightful place in colorectal cancer screening
Mammography AI Platform for Five-Year Breast Cancer Risk Prediction Gets FDA De Novo Authorization
June 2nd 2025Through AI recognition of subtle patterns in breast tissue on screening mammograms, the Clairity Breast software reportedly provides validated risk scoring for predicting one’s five-year risk of breast cancer.
CT Perfusion Study Shows Enhanced Detection of Medium Vessel Occlusions with Emerging AI Software
May 21st 2025The Rapid CTP AI software offered 23 percent greater detection of medium vessel occlusions in comparison to the Viz CTP AI software, according to research presented at the European Stroke (Organization) Conference (ESOC).
Can AI Predict Future Lung Cancer Risk from a Single CT Scan?
May 19th 2025In never-smokers, deep learning assessment of single baseline low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans demonstrated a 79 percent AUC for predicting lung cancer up to six years later, according to new research presented today at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2025 International Conference.