title: Predictors of CT colonography utilization among asymptomatic medicare beneficiaries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) denied coverage for screening computed tomography colonography (CTC) in March 2009, little is understood about whether CTC was targeted to the appropriate patient population prior to this decision.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate patient characteristics and known relative clinical indications for screening CTC among patients who received CTC compared to optical colonoscopy (OC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of all 10,538 asymptomatic Medicare beneficiaries who underwent CTC between January 2007 and December 2008, compared to a cohort of 160,113 asymptomatic beneficiaries who underwent OC, matched on county of residence and year of examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient characteristics and known relative appropriate and inappropriate clinical indications for screening CTC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CTC utilization was higher among women, patients > 65 years of age, white patients, and those with household income > 75 % (p = 0.001). Patients with relatively appropriate clinical indications for screening CTC were more likely to undergo CTC than OC including presumed incomplete OC (OR 80.7, 95 % CI 76.01-85.63); sedation risk (OR 1.11, 95 % CI 1.05-1.17); and chronic anticoagulation risk (OR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.38-1.54), after adjusting for patient characteristics and known clinical indications. Conversely, patients undergoing high-risk screening, an inappropriate indication, were less likely to receive CTC (OR 0.4, 95 % CI 0.37-0.42). Overall, 83 % of asymptomatic patients referred to CTC had at least one clinical indication relatively appropriate for CTC (8,772/10,538).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the 2 years preceding CMS denial for screening, CTC was targeted to asymptomatic patients with relatively appropriate clinical indications for CTC/not receiving OC. However, CTC utilization was lower among certain demographic groups, including minority patients. These findings raise the possibility that future coverage of screening CTC might exacerbate disparities in colorectal cancer screening while increasing overall screening rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Hanna.zafar@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Hanna M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Jianing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harhay
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lev-Toaff
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Armstrong
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
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