Purpose of Technology

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) generates a highly detailed, magnified view of a thin layer of tissue using reflected infrared light. This technology has been adapted to percutaneous catheters and is used to examine features of intracoronary plaques or stents that may increase the risk of subsequent adverse events, such as clot formation or blockage of the affected coronary artery.

Questions addressed in this report include:

• Is OCT safe?
• Does OCT provide information that improves the care of patients who have CAD?
• What are the patient selection criteria for OCT??

These questions provide a framework for review and synthesis of the best available evidence, which is presented in this report, along with the Hayes Ratings for the technology. This report also provides background information about the condition being treated, a description of the technology, and the context for development of the technology. Other key elements addressed in the report include the regulatory status; applicable Medicare and commercial payer coverage policies; relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes; cost and cost effectiveness; credentialing; hospital length of stay; need for large case management; and ongoing and future clinical trials of the technology.

Posted in Directory Reports
This entry was posted on Monday, December 12th, 2011 at 8:00 am.