The opinion manuscript discusses the challenges in estimating the pediatric radiology workforce and access to care in the U.S. It highlights the significant role of children’s hospitals in delivering specialized care but notes the geographic and workforce distribution disparities. The study finds that while children’s hospitals are essential, they are geographically concentrated, and pediatric radiologists are often spread thin, with many working remotely via teleradiology. Full Article
Tatiana Morales-Tisnés, MD, Casey E. Pelzl, MPH, Sarah S. Milla, MD, Hansel J. Otero, MD. 2025. "Current Challenges in Estimating the Pediatric Radiology Workforce and Access to Pediatric Radiology Care in the United States," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
The objective of this study it to estimate the share of the Medicare fee-for-service population with sarcopenia compared with osteoporosis, an associated age-related disease, using claims data and to assess abdominal CT use in the diagnosis of sarcopenia compared with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for the diagnosis of osteoporosis Full Article
Eric W. Christensen, PhD, Alexandra R. Drake, MPH, Leon Lenchik, MD, Robert D. Boutin, MD. 2025. "Sarcopenia Diagnosis Trends and Opportunistic Use of Abdominal CT Among Medicare Beneficiaries," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
April 7, 2025
The Impact Report is a snapshot of what the Institute has accomplishing for ACR members and the patients they serve — advancing the specialty by meeting our members’ needs. Read More
Imaging self-interpretation refers to interpretation of an imaging study by the study's ordering provider. This phenomenon warrants scrutiny given nonradiologists' limited training in imaging interpretation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of self-interpretation of office-based diagnostic imaging by ordering providers and to assess associations of ordering provider and practice characteristics with self-interpretation, within-practice interpretation, and radiologist interpretation. Full Article
Eric W. Christensen, PhD, Chi-Mei Liu, PhD, Elizabeth Y. Rula, PhD, and Vijay M. Rao, MD. 2025. "Self-Interpretation of Imaging Studies by Ordering Providers: Frequency and Associated Provider and Practice Characteristics," American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR)
Medical imaging is a source of greenhouse gas emissions, and inappropriate use results in low-value, excess imaging. The environmental impact of low-value imaging has not been quantified. Full Article
Gregory Cavanagh, MD, Julia Hyde Schoen, MD, MS, Kate Hanneman, MD, MPH, Elizabeth Y. Rula, PhD, Michael K. Atalay, MD, PhD. 2025. "Excess Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated With Inappropriate Medical Imaging in the US Medicare Part B Population From 2017 to 2021," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
This study explores how practice expense (PE)—a major component of radiology RVUs—impacts reimbursement, highlighting the specialty’s sensitivity to changes in PE calculations and policy updates. Full Article
Guilherme Dabus, MD, MHL, Michael T. Booker, MD, MBA, Ezequiel Silva, III, MD, Joshua A. Hirsch, MD. 2025. "Practice Expense and Its Impact on Radiology Reimbursement," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
The aim of this study was to determine the potential impact of opportunistic CT bone density screening in terms of increasing screening rates and cost avoidance. Full Article
Soterios Gyftopoulos, MD, MBA, Casey E. Pelzl, MPH, Connie Y. Chang, MD. 2025. "Quantifying the Opportunity and Economic Value of Bone Density Screening Using Opportunistic CT: A Medicare Database Analysis," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
The aim of this study was to examine whether Medicaid versus commercial insurance and reimbursement are associated with uterine artery embolization (UAE) utilization rates for uterine fibroid treatment. Full Article
Pratik A. Shukla, MD, Alexandra R. Drake, MPH, Antony Sare, MD, Elizabeth Y. Rula, PhD, Eric W. Christensen, PhD. 2025. "Insurance-Based Differences in Treatment Patterns for Uterine Fibroids," Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)
To retrospectively validate the diagnostic power of attenuation values on chest and abdomen/pelvis CECTs, together and separately, compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)-determined osteoporosis diagnoses, and to determine thresholds for accurate osteoporosis diagnosis. Full Article
Arnau Hanly, Soterios Gyftopoulos, Casey E. Pelzl, Wei He & Connie Y. Chang. 2025. "Opportunistic screening for osteoporosis: validation study for L1 bone density measurements using contrast-enhanced chest and abdominal CTs," Skeletal Radiology
January 24, 2025
The winter edition includes studies on mobile mammography boosting breast cancer screening to Medicaid reimbursement challenges, workforce trends, and more! Expert spotlight featuring Rich Duszak, MD. Click on the link below to view the PDF version of our newsletter. HPI Neiman News Winter 2025 Released: January 24, 2025 Stay Informed: Subscribe to Read More
