MDR Frequently Asked Questions

Most PPOs, as well as Medicare, will reimburse for diagnostic studies. There may be specific limitations with a few of your carriers pertaining to your contractual right to perform these studies.

There is a preset reimbursement allowance for diagnostic exams, and it is usually consistent for all ordering physicians. (M.D., D.O., D.P.M.)

The echocardiogram reveals important information about the anatomy of the heart. It is especially useful for detecting problems with the heart valves (such as aortic stenosis or mitral valve prolapse). It is also an extremely useful test for evaluating congenital heart disease. The echocardiogram is also a good way to get a general idea of the overall function of the heart muscle.

This test may be needed if:

• You have a heart murmur.
• You've had a heart attack.
• You have unexplained chest pains.
• You've had rheumatic fever
• You have a congenital heart defect

How can I learn more about echocardiography?

Talk to your doctor, nurse or health care professional.

If you have heart disease, members of your family also may be at high risk. It's very important for them to make changes now to lower their risk.

The echocardiogram is a simple test to have done. You will lie on an examination table, and a technician will hold a transducer (a device that resembles a computer mouse) against your chest, slowly sliding it back and forth. (The technician will apply a Vaseline-like gel to your chest to aid in sliding the transducer.) You may be asked to roll on your side during the test, or hold your breath for a few seconds. The test takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

A duplex ultrasound is a test to see how blood moves through your arteries and veins. The test combines traditional ultrasound with Doppler ultrasonography. Regular ultrasound uses sound waves that bounce of blood vessels to create pictures. Doppler looks at how sound waves reflect off moving objects, such as blood

• Arterial and venous duplex ultrasound of the abdomen examines blood vessels and blood flow in the abdominal area.
• Carotid Duplex ultrasound looks at the carotid artery in the neck
• Duplex ultrasound of the extremities looks at the arms or legs
• Renal duplex ultrasound examines the kidneys

Ultrasound imaging is usually a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

An abdominal ultrasound produces a picture of the organs and other structures in the upper abdomen. A Doppler ultrasound study may be part of an abdominal ultrasound examination.

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam.

You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined.

You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.

• For a study of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas, you may be asked to eat a fat-free meal on the evening before the test and then to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test
• For ultrasound of the kidneys, you may be asked to drink four to six glasses of liquid about an hour before the test to fill your bladder. You may be asked to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test to avoid gas buildup in the intestines.
• For ultrasound of the aorta, you may need to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test.

For most ultrasound exams, the patient is positioned lying face-up on an examination table that can be tilted or moved.

A clear gel is applied to the area of the body being studied to help the transducer make secure contact with the body and eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. The sonographer (ultrasound technologist) or radiologist then presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth over the area of interest

Doppler sonography is performed using the same transducer

When the examination is complete, the patient may be asked to dress and wait while the ultrasound images are reviewed. However, the sonographer or radiologist is often able to review the ultrasound images in real-time as they are acquired and the patient can be released immediately

This ultrasound examination is usually completed within 30 minutes