MITA Highlights Value of CT Colonography at FDA Joint Panel

Washington, D.C. – The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) today participated in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joint meeting of the Gastroenterology-Urology Panel and Radiological Devices Panel on computed tomography (CT) colonography. The joint panel was convened to discuss the benefits and risks of the imaging technology, also known as “virtual colonoscopy,” for asymptomatic colorectal cancer patients.  

“An abundance of evidence confirms that CT colonography is a valuable diagnostic tool, particularly for patients who are resistant to customary, optical colonoscopy and would otherwise avoid a diagnostic procedure,” said Gail Rodriguez, executive director of MITA. “Expanding access to this technology will allow for earlier detection and treatment of this disease and turn more colon cancer patients into survivors.”

Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, despite having a 90 percent cure rate when detected early. CT colonography uses low-dose X-rays to produce three-dimensional, moving images of the colon. Compared to the traditional optical exam, CT colonography is less invasive and does not require sedation. 

Several national studies have demonstrated the value of CT colonography as an effective tool to detect colorectal cancer in Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. According to a February 2012 American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) paper published in Radiology, CT colonography is comparable to optical colonography for Americans ages 65 years and older. These findings are consistent with data from the 2008 ACRIN trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing the test’s accuracy for the broader 50 years of age and older population. Additionally, research led by Dr. Brooks Cash of National Naval Medical Center/Walter Reed Army Medical Center, published in the July 2012 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology, confirmed CT colonography is an effective tool for detecting colorectal cancer for Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.

Currently, CIGNA, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and other private insurers cover the procedure, and it has also been endorsed by the American Cancer Society.  

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of NEMA, is the collective voice of medical imaging equipment, radiation therapy and radiopharmaceutical manufacturers, innovators and product developers. It represents companies whose sales comprise more than 90 percent of the global market for medical imaging technology. For more information, visit www.medicalimaging.org. Follow MITA on Twitter @MITAToday.