Intracranial mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is increasingly indicated for use in acute ischemic stroke patients. The researchers analyzed recent trends in the characteristics and geographic distributions of physicians providing this service with frequency to Medicare beneficiaries. Full Article
Keshav Jayaraman, Stefan Santavicca, Danny R Hughes, Joshua A Hirsch, Richard Duszak, Jr., Arindam R Chatterjee. 2022. "Recent Trends in High-volume Medicare Stroke Thrombectomy Provider Characteristics," Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery
Between September and October 2021, the researchers manually searched the websites of all hospitals listed in the Medicare Hospital Compare Quality of Care database with publicly available OP-8 scores. OP-8 is a CMS imaging quality metric showing the annual percentage of patients undergoing lumbar spine MRI for back pain in an outpatient facility and was used to identify hospitals offering lumbar spine MRI. Hospital compliance with the CMS price transparency mandate was determined by a multivariable model. Read the study for full details. Full Article
Richard Lin, BS, Richard Duszak Jr., MD, Ruth Carlos, MD, Gelareh Sadigh, MD. 2022. "Relationship Between Hospital Compliance With Medicare’s Price Transparency Rule, Proposed Cash Prices, and Consumer Ratings for MRI Spine," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)
In this cohort study of 794,809 commercially insured men from 2011 to 2017 undergoing a prostate-specific antigen test, Black and Hispanic patients were significantly less likely than White patients to undergo
prostate magnetic resonance imaging after receiving an elevated test score. Full Article
Nino Abashidze, PhD, Chad Stecher, PhD, Andrew B. Rosenkrantz, MD, MPA, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Danny R. Hughes, PhD. 2021. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Prostate Magnetic Resonance Imaging Following an Elevated Prostate-Specific Antigen Test," JAMA Network Open
December 20, 2021
The ACR’s research efforts are paving the way for precision in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. This research is studying how to improve diagnostic efficiency and accuracy including the use of patients’ genetic data to help determine the best course of treatment. Read the JACR Bulletin Column
Secondary interpretations of diagnostic imaging examinations are increasingly performed to improve care for complex patients. This study sought to determine associated patient-billed liabilities and out-of-pocket payments and to identify patient and imaging study characteristics that correlate with higher patient bills and out-of-pocket payments. Full Article
Sean P. Doyle, MD, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Marta E. Heilbrun, MD, Amit M. Saindane, MD, MBA, Gelareh Sadigh, MD. 2021. "Secondary Interpretations of Diagnostic Imaging Examinations: Patient Liabilities and Out-of-Pocket Costs," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)
Lumbar punctures may be performed by many different types of health care providers. This study evaluates the percentages of lumbar punctures performed by radiologists-versus-nonradiologist providers, including changes with time and discrepancies between specialties. Full Article
D.R. Johnson, MD, Mikki Waid, PhD, Danny R. Hughes, PhD, Andrew B. Rosenkrantz, MD, Richard Duszak, MD. 2021. "Comparison of Radiologists and Other Specialists in the Performance of Lumbar Puncture Procedures Over Time," American Journal of Neuroradiology
Across radiologists nationally, geography, breast subspecialization, and performance of diagnostic mammography are associated with better screening mammography performance; performance of breast US is associated with lower performance. Factors affecting radiologists’ performance in screening mammography interpretation remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study it to identify radiologists characteristics that affect screening mammography interpretation performance. Full Article
Cindy Lee, MD, Linda Moy, MD, Hughes R. Danny, PhD, Dan Golden, Mythreyi Bhargavan-Chatfield, PhD, Jennifer Hemingway, MS, Agnieszka Geras, Richard Duszak, MD, Andrew Rosenkrantz, MD. 2021. "Radiologist Characteristics Associated with Interpretive Performance of Screening Mammography: A National Mammography Database (NMD) Study," Radiology
To measure the longitudinal changes in three domains of financial hardship (i.e., financial worry, cost-related care non-adherence, material hardship) in patients with MS. Full Article
Gelareh Sadigh, MD, Jeffrey Switchenko, MD, Neil Lava, MD, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Elizabeth A. Krupinski, MD, Carolyn C. Meltzer, MD, Ruth C. Carlos, MD. 2021. "Longitudinal Changes of Financial Hardship in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis," Multiple Sclerosis
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an important contributor to musculoskeletal morbidity, but effective strategies to screen for DDH remain controversial. The current utilization of hip ultrasound (US) screening for DDH in the United States is not defined. This study utilized Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart, a large commercial and Medicare Advantage claims database. Full Article
Andrew J. Degnan, MD, Jennifer Hemingway, MS, Hansel Otero, Danny R. Hughes, PhD. 2021. "Developmental Hip Dysplasia and Hip Ultrasound Frequency in a Large American Payer Database," Clinical Imaging
The Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandated private health plans to fully cover the services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. In June 2016, the Task Force added computed tomography colonography to its list of recommended tests for colorectal cancer screening. This study evaluates the association among the updated recommendation, patient cost-sharing obligations, and the uptake of colorectal cancer screening through computed tomography colonography in the privately insured population. Full Article
Steven Chen, MSPH, Courtney C. Moreno, MD, Richard Duszak Jr., MD, Michal Horny, PhD. 2021. "U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Update and Computed Tomography for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Privately Insured Population," American Journal of Preventative Medicine
