Vijay Madan Rao MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

David Carl Levin MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Laurence Parker PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Andrea J Frangos MPH, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jonathan H. Sunshine PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To assess workload trends in neuroimaging in recent years.

The Medicare Part B Physician Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files for 2000-2004 were used. Exam volumes in all CPT codes pertaining to cranial and spinal CT and cranial and spinal MR were tabulated for the Medicare specialty codes of radiologists and neurologists. To assess imaging complexity and workload, all exams were assigned their Medicare total professional component relative value units (RVUs). An RVU rate per 1,000 Medicare Beneficiaries was then calculated by dividing the total professional component RVUs in each code by the number of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries that year. Trends between 2000 and 2004 were then studied for both radiologists and neurologists in the 4 categories listed above.

Radiologists’ RVU rate per 1,000 for cranial CT was 142 in 2000, rising to 173 in 2004 (+22%). For cranial MR among radiologists, the RVU rate rose from 98 to 143 (+46%). For spine CT, radiologists’ RVU rate rose from 16 to 23 (+44%); and for spine MR it rose from 71 to 109 (54%). For all categories combined, radiologists’ RVU rate per 1,000 increased from 327 in 2000 to 448 in 2004 (+37%). Participation by neurologists was far lower. In 2000, in all 4 categories combined, neurologists’ RVU rate was only 4.9, increasing to 5.8 in 2004 (+18%).

The neuroimaging RVU rate among radiologists increased considerably between 2000 and 2004. Note that this is a measure of workload and that it is a rate, which corrects for any variation in population size. In cranial imaging, radiologists performed more CT work than MR work, but the rate of increase was greater for MR. In spine imaging, radiologists perform considerably more MR work than CT work, and the MR rate increased more rapidly. These trends may point to an increasing need for neuroradiology manpower. The role of neurologists is minimal by comparison. In 2004, their total neuroimaging workload was less than 2% of that of radiologists, and their growth rate between 2000 and 2004 was half that of radiologists.

Does not apply

Rao, V, Levin, D, Parker, L, Frangos, A, Sunshine, J, Neuroimaging Workload Trends in Recent Years: Comparison between Radiologists and Neurologists.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4432794.html