Imaging is critical to all medical specialties so it is logical that images should be available to specialists outside of radiology. There is a trend to reduce repeat exams by making images more easily accessible, including prior exams. This traditionally has been accomplished using the cumbersome process of mailing or physically carrying CDs to referring physicians. Often these CDs do not open or take a long time to download. Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements for certified electronic medical records (EMR) also call for the sharing of medical images electronically to help improve efficiency and reduce healthcare costs. All of these factors have given rise to remote image access systems.

Congress recently passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (H.R. 4302) that delays a 24 percent Medicare physician payment cut for 12 months. The legislation also requires use of appropriate use criteria (AUC) and clinical decision support (CDS) software to get Medicare reimbursement, which will likely shift focus onto IT vendors who can supply this software. In addition, the use of CDS is part of Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements for electronic medical records (EMR), so the new Medicare requirements will move CDS up on many IT departments’ priority lists.

Since entering the market in 2001, PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) has come a long way in combining the benefits of individual PET and CT imaging. Last year saw the release of several new innovative technologies, marking improvements on previous generations of PET/CT, such as continuous data acquisition and bed motion, as well as higher image resolutions.

Breast density reporting is here to stay. Nineteen states have already enacted mandatory density inform laws, and additional states will continue to draft and pass bills. At the federal level, a national standard for breast density notification in the form of a Mammography Quality Standards Act reporting amendment is likely either through legislation or regulation. For clinicians practicing in states with breast density inform laws in effect, or imminent, the next practical concern is clinical staff preparedness to address patient questions.