Source study found
Story checked
New study of Medicare 'ExRad' quality measure data shows wide variations in CT scan radiation dose (opens in a new tab)
medicalxpress.com · 2026-11-03
Short answer
Not assessedCheck incomplete.
We found a likely source study, but its evidence could not be prepared for claim review. The article's claims remain unverified.
Share this check
The story
New study of Medicare 'ExRad' quality measure data shows wide variations in CT scan radiation dose
medicalxpress.com · 2026-11-03
The story’s checkable claims.
Read the original story (opens in a new tab)NewsLink checks it
Source study identified.
A source study was identified, but the study's evidence could not be prepared for claim assessment. No claim verdicts are available.
View article claimsThe source study
Early Implementation Performance of the CMS Electronic Clinical Quality Measure for Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality in Diagnostic CT: An Evaluation of 254 Facilities
Evidence layer
Claim by claim
A source study was identified, but the study's evidence could not be prepared for claim assessment. The claims below have not been assessed.
Reading mode
Scan verdicts. Open evidence only when needed.
Claim 1 of 6Not checkedThe first study to examine how imaging facilities perform on the new Medicare 'ExRad' measure found that radiation doses for the same type of CT scan vary widely from one facility to the next.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Claim 2 of 6Not checkedNearly one in three scans (30.7%) exceeded the radiation threshold for its exam type, while almost none (0.06%) fell short on image quality.View evidenceHide evidence
As stated30.7%; 0.06%
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Claim 3 of 6Not checkedThe study, published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, evaluated how facilities perform on the ExRad measure, which checks whether a CT scan used more radiation than necessary for the patient's indication or produced images too noisy to interpret.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Claim 4 of 6Not checkedThe study covered 254 hospitals and imaging practices and 783,634 adult CT scans over 16 months.View evidenceHide evidence
As stated254 facilities; 783,634 adult CT scans; 16 months
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Claim 5 of 6Not checkedFacility scores ranged from less than 1% to more than 90% of scans out of range for excessive dose, and the typical gap between a facility's best and worst exam category was 74 percentage points.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedless than 1% to more than 90%; 74 percentage points
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Claim 6 of 6Not checkedAccording to the study author Rebecca Smith-Bindman, the variation is entirely modifiable and lower doses are achievable with scanners hospitals already have, while excess-dose CT exams may carry a small radiation-related lifetime cancer risk.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedsmall radiation-related lifetime cancer risk
Not checked
A source study was identified, but the evidence comparison for this claim was not completed. No verdict has been assigned.
Method layer
NewsLink found the paper. Tessa takes you deeper.
NewsLink checks the story. Tessa is where you inspect the paper, authors, evidence, and research context.
Open the paper in Tessa
Early Implementation Performance of the CMS Electronic Clinical Quality Measure for Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality in Diagnostic CT: An Evaluation of 254 Facilities
Journal of the American College of Radiology · 2026
Why this one
Near certain
NewsLink found the paper. Tessa is where you inspect it deeply.
Papers considered
The selected paper, plus nearby candidates.
PubMed, Europe PMC, Crossref · 37 candidate papers
Early Implementation Performance of the CMS Electronic Clinical Quality Measure for Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality in Diagnostic CT: An Evaluation of 254 Facilities
Journal of the American College of Radiology · 2026 · Crossref
Diagnostic Radiology Performance in MIPS: Dependence on Nonradiology Quality Measures and Implications of the Mandatory Transition to MIPS Value Pathways.
Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR · 2026 · PubMed, Europe PMC, Crossref
Crowd-sourcing optimized abdomen CT protocols from 908,000 examinations in a large radiation dose registry.
2026 · Europe PMC
Development of an Electronic Clinical Quality Measure for Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality in Diagnostic CT in Adults
Journal of the American College of Radiology · 2026 · Crossref
Defining pediatric cervical spine clearance with computed tomography: A prospective observational study by the Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium and Western Trauma Association.
2026 · Europe PMC
ECR 2026 Book of Abstracts
2026 · Europe PMC
And 31 more candidates considered.