This electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) provides a standardized method for monitoring the performance of diagnostic CT to discourage unnecessarily high radiation doses, a risk factor for cancer, while preserving image quality. It is expressed as a percentage of eligible CT exams that are out-of-range based on having either excessive radiation dose or inadequate image quality, relative to evidence-based thresholds based on the clinical indication for the exam. All diagnostic CT exams of specified anatomic sites performed in inpatient and hospital outpatient care settings are eligible.
- Measure TypeElectronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM)Level Of AnalysisCare SettingNumerator
Diagnostic CT exams that have a size-adjusted radiation dose value greater than the threshold specific to the CT category (reflecting the body region imaged and the radiation dose and image quality required for that exam given the reason for the exam), or a global noise value greater than a threshold specific to the CT Category.
DenominatorAll diagnostic CT exams performed on adults (aged 18 years and older) during the measurement period of one year that have an assigned CT category, a size-adjusted radiation dose value, and a global noise value.
ExclusionsDenominator exclusions are CT exams that simultaneously include multiple body regions outside of four commonly encountered multiple region groupings (specified as LOINC code 96914-7, CT Dose and Image Quality Category, Full Body). Denominator exclusions are also CT exams with missing patient age, missing size-adjusted radiation dose, or missing global noise. These are technical exclusions (“missing data”) from the initial population. Technical exclusions will be flagged, corrected whenever possible, and tracked at the level of the accountable entity.
Testing Data Sources
- Measure StructureClinical Condition Topic AreaNon Condition SpecificTarget PopulationMeasure Selection Attributes
- Risk Adjustment
- Current or planned use(s)Current Use(s)
- Most Recent Endorsement ActivityEndorsed Patient Safety Fall Cycle 2021Initial EndorsementNext Planned Maintenance ReviewPatient Safety Fall 2025Endorsement StatusLast Updated
- StewardSteward Organization EmailSteward Organization Copyright
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