Imaging industry touts drop in cancer rates

The manufacturers of medical imaging devices say a drop in the U.S. cancer rate shows the value of their products.

Congress and its Medicare advisory board often target imaging — services like MRI and CT scans — for payment cuts, arguing that doctors perform unnecessary tests. The rapid pace of new technology also keeps imaging prices high.

But imaging is central to a drop in cancer rates, the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) argued Thursday.

“The proof lies in the statistics: advanced medical imaging promotes early detection and more effective treatment, ultimately saving lives,” MITA Executive Director Gail Rodriguez said in a statement. “It is critical that policymakers keep the evidence in mind when making future coverage decisions that will impact access to life-saving technologies.”

Cancer rates have fallen since the early 1990s and are continuing to fall for lung, colorectal, breast and prostate cancers, MITA said.

The group said new advances in CT scans have contributed to those declines.

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