The Society for Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), a new medical society was created in 2005 for people interested in this topic:

see www.scct.org

(Outdated)
Directions to FRA Facilities
(click to download map):

Maplewood Imaging Center (MIC) - location of Conference Room & Business Office & Outpatient Coronary CTA studies

*** Greystone Imaging Center (GIC)- Location for outpatient CT studies

Salem MRI Center - Location for outpatient Cardiac MRI studies.

These facilities and their addresses are all described on the Forsyth Radiological Associates (FRA) web site.

At FRA the CTA scans now take place at :

Maplewood Imaging Center
3155 Maplewood Avenue
Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Office Hours: Monday - Friday
    -- 7:30am - 5:00pm

CALL to order your scan:
(336) 794-XRAY (9729) Or (336) 794-4190

Potential Indications for Coronary CT angiography

o Evaluation of chest pain in patients with atypical chest pain and an equivocal stress test;
o Evaluation of coronary anomalies;
o Early detection of atherosclerosis in high-risk patients;
o Evaluation of coronary atherosclerosis in asymptomatic patients with known coronary artery disease;
o Coronary risk evaluation in patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery;
o Evaluation of chest pain in the Emergency department (future);
o Evaluation of thrombolytic therapy in ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction;
o Evaluation of post-bypass surgery patients;
o Evaluation of in-stent restenosis;
o Evaluation of lifestyle, dietary or pharmacological interventions on progression/regression of coronary atherosclerosis

For more information we refer the reader to a TEXTBOOK titled: Computed Tomography of the Coronary Arteries.

Edited by Pim de Feyter and Gabriel Krestin,

Published by Taylor & Francis, a Martin Dunitz Book (2005); 209 pages.

To order this book in the USA,
contact CRC Press I LLC
at 1-800-272 7737:
FAX: 800-374 3401

Canada & International:
561-994 0555;
FAX: 561-989 8732

REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES:

New: Starting Jan 17, 2006 in North Carolina:
new T-Codes for cardiac CT

Older info: Jan/Feb 2005 Update
From ACR website Coronary CT Angiography

(to download the full text of the ACR website document, click here)

Coronary CTA is typically performed as a stand-alone examination dedicated to the evaluation of the coronary arteries, and it has the potential to supplant conventional catheter angiography for many patients. The CTA of the chest code, 71275, was valued to address imaging and angiographic reconstruction of the noncoronary thoracic vessels (eg, rule out pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection). It was not valued to address coronary artery evaluation.

The typical acquisition and post-processing protocols used for pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection do not supply the information needed for exclusion of coronary artery occlusive disease. To obtain this additional information, acquisition and post-processing algorithms dedicated to evaluation of coronary vessels are used instead of those employed for a conventional CTA of the chest examination.

That is why the ACR is now recommending that the unlisted code 76497 be used to describe coronary CTA. The use of the unlisted procedure code is used in the CPT process to collect data on new procedures to determine the extent of use across the United States.

The ACR is working with the American College of Cardiology to create a new CPT code to describe coronary CT angiography. The earliest a new code could be developed is 2007 for a Category I code or 2006 for a Category III code. Until a new code is created, the position of the ACR is that, unless a specific payer has advised otherwise (some private payers are requesting use of the temporary HCPCS code S8093), coronary CT angiography should be coded as an unlisted computed tomography procedure (76497).

Combined conventional chest and coronary CT angiography (eg, for evaluation of aorta, pulmonary vasculature and coronary circulation - referred to by some as a "triple rule outª" CTA study): use CPT 71275 + 76497

OLD INFO:
Billed as CT Angiography, Chest, without contrast followed by enhancement, including postprocessing

CPT Code 71275

Medicare global procedure allowables
in 2004:       $ 535.93

Medicare reimbursement approved in NY - NJ, SC, CA;
It is now being discussed in NC (as of Dec 2004)

Click here to download a full list of
appropriate ICD-9 diagnosis

Most insurance companies reimburse for any of the following appropriate diagnosis (ICD-9)

401.1    Hypertension
786.50  Chest pain
786.51  Chest pressure / discomfort
250.0    Diabetes
272.4    High cholesterol profile
305.1    Tocacco Use
793.1    Abnormal chest x-ray

Mary Beth KITTS, RT

NewWork Phone number : 216-778 4020:
At FRA call: 336-794 4117;            FAX::+1-336-231 8959

Dr Duerinckx can be reached by e-mail at: andrejd@earthlink.net
or via iChat and AOL at andreduerinckx@aol.com