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Frequently Asked Questions
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| Q |
Is screening breast ultrasound reimbursable? |
| A |
Screening the breast under ultrasound has been a topic for many years. However, it has not been proven to be able to independently detect breast cancer at an early stage, reducing mortality from this disease.
Currently the only screening examination for the breast is mammography.
The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 2007 professional edition does not list a code for screening breast ultrasound, therefore, it is not recognized as an approved procedure, and third party payers will not provide reimbursement. When the medical community acknowledges that screening breast sonography is a benefit, approval for a CPT code and reimbursement may become a possibility. There is no guarantee.
At present, the American College
of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN
6666) and the Avon Foundation have
sponsored a multi-institutional
clinical trial to investigate using
screening breast ultrasound for
high-risk women. To view a complete
description of the protocol, the
requirements and potential outcomes
on the ACRIN web
site click here.
It will be several years before
the result of this is made available.
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| Q |
How much validity is there in the data that using the soft cushion pads with digital mammography improves the image to some degree? |
| A |
By "soft cushion pads" I am going to assume you are referring to BioLucent's MammoPad. The MammoPad has been used successfully in the past with screen-film products with no known negative impact on image quality. At Hologic we performed various tests to evaluated the MammoPad on our film and digital mammography systems and found that there was no compromise in overall image quality.
Deciding whether or not to use the MammoPad in your practice is a determination that rests solely within your facility and should be based on your standard of care and the needs of your patients.
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