Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38389425›Full record

ArticleInterventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences2026

Utilization and reimbursement of diagnostic cerebral angiograms: A Medicare trends analysis from 2013 to 2020.

Avi A Gajjar, Michael M Covell, Najib Muhammad, Cathleen Kuo, Georgios S Sioutas, Mohamed M Salem, Sebastian Ivan Fras, Brian T Jankowitz, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Visish M Srinivasan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Avi A GajjarDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3686-9413
Michael M CovellDepartment of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA.
Najib MuhammadDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Cathleen KuoJacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9914-3404
Georgios S SioutasDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3937-4029
Mohamed M SalemDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Sebastian Ivan FrasDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Brian T JankowitzDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jan-Karl BurkhardtDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Visish M SrinivasanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

IntroductionIncreasing life expectancy has caused growing concern about maintaining viable neurointerventional practices due to altered Medicare payment structures. This study analyzes the financial trends of three common diagnostic tests for cerebrovascular disease: cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).MethodsMedicare Part B National Summary Data files from 2013 to 2020 were queried by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for DSA (36221-36228), CTA (70496, 70498), and MRA (70544-70547, 70549). Inflation-adjusted charges and reimbursement were calculated using the U.S. City Average Consumer Price Index for Medical Services. Regression analysis was performed on charges, reimbursement, and volume.ResultsA total of 1,519,245 diagnostic procedures were conducted between 2013 and 2020 (782,370 angiograms, 246,603 CTAs, and 490,272 MRAs). A total of $41.005 million was reimbursed by Medicare in 2020 for these diagnostic procedures. The annual percent change in volume for all procedures was -2.90%. From 2013 to 2020, inflation-adjusted: Medicare total physician reimbursement decreased for cerebral angiograms (-4.12%, p = 0.007), CTAs (-2.77%, p = 0.458), and MRAs (-9.06%, p < 0.001). Procedural volume billed to Medicare decreased for cerebral angiograms (-4.63%, p = 0.007) and MRAs (-2.94%, p = 0.0.81) and increased for CTAs (+3.15%, p = 0.004). The greatest increase in Medicare reimbursement (+66.75%) came from CPT code 36224, "place catheter carotid artery", and the greatest decrease in Medicare reimbursement (-8.66%) came from CPT code 36226, "place catheter vertebral artery."ConclusionsThis study provides an analysis of Medicare reimbursement trends for routine cerebrovascular angiogram techniques. The findings highlight a decline in Medicare reimbursements for neurointerventionalists.

Indexed as

Cerebral AngiographyCerebrovascular DisordersComputed Tomography AngiographyInsurance, Health, ReimbursementMagnetic Resonance AngiographyMedicareAngiography, Digital SubtractionHumansUnited Statescerebrovasculardiagnostic angiogramMedicareneurointerventionreimbursement

Identifiers

PMID38389425
PMCPMC11569798

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.