Citing echocardiograms and nuclear cardiology as examples of distorted incentives, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) recommends aligning outpatient prospective payment rates to physician office rates. The change could trim $264 off hospital payments for certain echo procedures.

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) has recently released an online education program for physicians and technologists involved in the practice of nuclear cardiology. This program offers continuing education credits and provides valuable quality control procedures and radiation safety information.

PET with 11C-PIB provides a noninvasive method for visualizing amyloid deposits in the heart, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The researchers suggest that 11C-PIB eventually may be used in the clinical setting as both a diagnostic tool and a treatment follow-up method.

Technological improvements in image acquisition and software processing in nuclear cardiology should allow physicians to shave patient imaging times dramatically or cut radiation doses fourfold, according to a new preferred practice statement from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC).

This years 16th annual American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) scientific session, which took place last week in Denver, highlighted where the future of nuclear cardiology is headed, and what steps are necessary to make it flourish. While some presentations focused on how nuclear cardiology can stay afloat during the ambiguous era of healthcare reform, others focused on the need to eliminate inappropriate testing as a means to reduce radiation exposure, often the Achilles heel of imaging exams. 

Increasing overhead, decreasing reimbursement, fierce competition and practice buy-outs...all are conspiring against the nuclear cardiologist.