XR 29 Radiation Dose Requirements Are Almost Here

The XR 29, also known as MITA smart dose, is the fourth dose-related standard to be released by MITA since 2010. MITA is short for Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, and offers healthcare providers a reference to identify important tools to optimize and manage radiation dose delivery.  MITA estimates that one-third of the CT install base will need to be replaced by January 2016 to avoid the Medicare penalty for not meeting the radiation dose standards.

Providers will be penalized

Beginning in January 2016, Medicare will assess a 5% reimbursement rate reduction for CT scans acquired on technology that does not meet the MITA standard.  These penalties only apply for outpatient billed CT procedures.

The four components of the MITA standard

There are four components of the MITA smart dose standard, two product features and two standards features:

• DICOM Radiation Dose Structured Reporting (RDSR): captures dose information electronically and warns the scanners operators if dose exceeds established thresholds.
• Reference protocols: are loaded by the vendor, developed by clinicians, to standardize CT scan execution.
• Automatic exposure control (AEC): automatically adjusts radiation dose.
• Dose check feature: alerts the technician if the estimated dose index exceeds an established limit.

It’s not as serious as it sounds

According to Gail Rodriguez, executive director of MITA, “Only very old equipment will have difficulty being (or be unable to be) upgraded. It’s really just the old, antiquated equipment that has to go.”

It’s good news that two-thirds of installed CTs in the United States already meet the dose standard. If a provider has maintained advancements in technology they should be rewarded against their peers who have not.

Some scanners may not be easily upgraded with new software. Therefore, the planning process should begin now in order to make the necessary investment ahead of January 2016.

If you have already determined that you will need to upgrade your equipment to meet the dose requirements, ROS can provide you with a valuation on your current scanner, or an estimate to replace it with a newer, refurbished unit. We recycle many older scanners in third world countries where they are needed the most.

You can also download our Seller’s Guide to learn how to maximize the value of your used medical equipment.