CT Colonography Certification
MDT provides you with all of the necessary online tools and course materials to become a certified CTC interpreter. Train at home or at the office, on your own time and at your own pace. MDT courses enhance your learning experience with axion, an innovative eLearning cloud solution. This course provides participants with complete course didactics and mentored case review (50 cases) using the most extensive data library that the industry has to offer.
This course focuses on the following competencies:
1. Proper patient selection by defining a set of patients for whom CTC is appropriate.
2. Implement radiation dose effectively by knowing CT parameters necessary to use as little radiation as possible.
3. Prior to exam, effectively administer proper patient preparation to maximize imaging data obtained.
4. Staff communication and proper directions for technologists in insufflation of the colon.
5. 3D visualization principles and identification of the functions necessary to interpret CTC regardless of vendor.
6. Identify and classify lesions as well as achieve 90% sensitivity and specificity for lesions >1 cm. The participant should also focus on achieving 80% sensitivity and specificity for lesions between 6 and 9 mm.
7. Beyond analysis of the lumen under CTC, participants should report extracolonic findings with 90% accuracy.
The content for this course was compiled by Arnold Friedman, MD of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Arizona. MDT faculty are skilled teachers and possess the unique ability to communicate information concisely and effectively, making difficult topics easy to understand and remember. Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to independently practice.
Additional Course Information
+ Learning Objectives
1) Define a set of patients for whom VC is appropriate
2) Know CT parameters to use as little radiation as possible
3) Proper patient preparation
4) Ability to direct technologist in properly insufflating the colon
5) Operate the workstation to interpret VC
6) Achieve 90% sensitivity and specificity for lesions >1 cm
7) Achieve 80% sensitivity and specificity for lesions between 6 and 9 mm
8) Report extracolonic findings with 90% accuracy
+ Practice Gap
CT Colonography is increasing in acceptance and practice as a diagnostic tool. With the continued increase in acceptance and usage of CTC, there has been significant advancements in CT imaging to assist in the diagnosis of many abdominopelvic disorders--evaluation under CTC is no exception to this trend. As new advancements in CT imaging are presented, so are radiation considerations regarding safe yet optimal usage.
22 states in the U.S. have now passed legislation allowing for the reimbursement of CTC. There are also currently two bills in Congress proposed to amend Medicare to cover CTC as a screening procedure. These proposed changes will leave a significant shortage of physicians qualified to interpret CTC studies based on the increasing volume of studies being performed.
+ Needs Assessment Summary
MDT's CT Colonography Faculty believe that in this ever-changing medical environment where imaging is heavily scrutinized, access to educational resources by all physicians is vitally important to assure patient safety, reimbursement, credentialing and clinical proficiency.
Only about 1/2 of Americans at risk (age >50) are being screened for colorectal carcinoma. Even though Medicare covers colorectal cancer screening tests, just one in four eligible beneficiaries are currently being screened. Were everyone who should be screened to show up for optical colonoscopy, there would not be enough gastroenterologists to accommodate them. CTC is needed as an additional test to filter out the 90% of screening candidates who do not need optical colonoscopy. Furthermore, CTC is more acceptable to many patients than optical colonoscopy so that more patients will get screened once CTC is widely available. We need to train CTC readers to fill the coming demand.
+ More About the Author
Arnold C. Friedman M.D. FACR
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson
Professor of Radiology
Director of CT Colonography Program
+ CME Details
Status: Upon completion of this course, the participant will earn 23 PRA Category I CME credits
Target Audience: Radiologists and interested Gastroenterologists
Release Date: 5/1/11 for a period of 2 years
Expiration Date: 4/30/13
+ Method of Participation
The course consists of four online components: Didactics, Case Review, Mentoring and Self Assessment.
Didactic material review, Mentoring and Self Assessment will be presented in an on-line format where participants will interact with the materials within MD Training @home's web-based eLearning cloud, axion.
The case review portion of the course will be provided utilizing a 3D workstation solution deployed through the participant's standard web browser (Mac or Windows). The student will manipulate and evaluate images and animations relevant to the study of CT Colonography. The program requires no specialized connection or software and also supports all major browsers on PC and Mac platforms.
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