RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Contribution of Imaging to Cancer Care Costs
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 86S
OP 92S
DO 10.2967/jnumed.110.085621
VO 52
IS Supplement 2
A1 Yang Yang
A1 Johannes Czernin
YR 2011
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/52/Supplement_2/86S.abstract
AB Health care costs in the United States are increasing faster than the gross domestic product (GDP), and the growth rate of costs related to diagnostic imaging exceeds those of overall health care expenditures. Here we show that the contribution of imaging to cancer care costs pales in comparison to those of other key cost components, such as cancer drugs. Specifically, we estimate that 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT accounted for approximately 1.5% of overall Medicare cancer care costs in 2009. Moreover, we propose that the appropriate use of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT could reduce the costs of cancer care. Because the U.S. health care system is complex and because it is difficult to find accurate data elsewhere, most cost and use assessments are based on published data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.