By Beth Allen
The MRI technologists that I have had the opportunity to get to know over the course of my career all agree on one thing: implant research is a very complex, time consuming, daunting task that gets more imposing every day, since the healthcare industry is implementing new devices continuously. There are patients that may have a retained foreign body that needs to be investigated, and the history may be sketchy at best. The risk of not performing the task with high attention to detail is a threat to the safety of both the patient and the technologist. Even if another tech is assigned to do the research, it is ultimately the responsibility of the performing technologist to review and sign off on the safety of executing the scan. Incomplete information can cause dissatisfaction for the patient, stress for the technologist due to schedule backup and fear of harm, as well as delays to patient care. Not completing research for these patients could deny them eligibility to have an MRI, potentially delaying diagnosis.
There is good news. This required extra work is being recognized with the approval of six new CPT codes under the heading of “Magnetic Resonance Safety Implant/Foreign Body Procedures” that went into effect January 1, 2025. As of this writing, we are still waiting on clear direction regarding how to implement the use of these codes and what documentation will be required, but the fact that the codes have been created is a giant step in the right direction.
The intention of these codes is not that they would apply to every patient with an implant, but that they be utilized for the work required for complex implants or foreign bodies. There are plenty of those. It ultimately comes down to determining if it is safe to scan or not. Sometimes, it requires a team to make that determination, including technologists, physicists, physicians and device manufacturers to figure it all out.
In some cases, just finding out what the implant is may require a significant amount of time and research.
Several years ago, Banner Imaging identified the burden of this work on our front-line technologists. We implemented a task-oriented workflow through our RIS system that has been successful in centralizing the more complicated research required for scheduled patients ahead of time. This frees up the technologists scanning all day to focus on the patient in front of them, while an MRSO does the inquiry into these complicated cases. With these new CPT codes, it will help us to justify the extra resources needed to make our workflow even more robust. With 1 MRSO covering 27 scanners, we are going to need more help.
There is still quite a bit of information needed for us to take advantage of these codes within our system. I have plenty of questions, which I am confident we will get answers to, but I am grateful that we did the work ahead of time and have the structure to build upon.
We will have to implement a way to assure that we assign the correct code. There have been a few articles published that define the codes. They are segregated into work that is done to plan for the MRI ahead of time and work that is done the day of the exam. More than one code can be applied. I will be on the lookout for the information and instruction to use these codes, but I am overjoyed that they have been created.
Overall, this advancement now reimburses this necessary safety work. Across imaging, it gives value to the time required to do the research and may assist in securing support to invest in our safety programs. Hopefully that will increase efficiency, safety and satisfaction for our patients and our MRI team members.
We are on the right track.
What took them so long?
Thanks for all you do!
— Beth Allen CRA, RT(R)(CT), is the director of clinical operations with Banner Imaging.
