LOINC Codes For Radiological Imaging

Day-to-Day Users
1

kchapple wrote on Wednesday, December 10, 2014:

Hey all! I’m working on implementing the AMC reports for MU-2 certification, specifically Measure 20: Imaging.

We need to be able to count the number of images ordered, and need a way to identify a particular lab order as a radiological image. Rod had the idea of using the existing LOINC coding standard, but we’d need a list, or database of LOINC codes that fall into the category of imaging. Is this a good approach? Is utilizing LOINC codes for such purpose a feasible task (or too complicated?) Does anyone have this information?

Thanks,
Ken
ken@mi-squared.com

2

fsgl wrote on Wednesday, December 10, 2014:

Menu Set Measure 3 stipulates that the Radiological image and accompanying information or a link to the same be present in OpenEMR. There does not appear to be a requirement that the test be named per se. It should not be so difficult to count an scanned image & report each time they are added to a new category, Diagnostic Imaging, in Documents.

The 147 page LOINC Manual gives no guidance where in the 14.1 MB zip file the Radiology section is located. The Quick Start pages are equally opaque.

It seems that it would be far simpler to use the Radiology section of CPT codes instead of LOINC, notwithstanding the fact that no codes are required according to the above cited CMS document.

Here is the LOINC download page if your heart is set on using them.

3

cmswest wrote on Wednesday, December 10, 2014:

Good points fsgl. The powers that be are working on unifying the coding and naming of the procedures.

Maybe one of the project leads could point us in the direction of the draft database?

4

fsgl wrote on Thursday, December 11, 2014:

Hi Stephen,

I did see that article. They won’t be done until March 2015.

The Radiological Society of North America owns Radlex like the AMA owning CPT codes. It’s definitely not open source. No cost information about the result of the collaboration.

If Ken does not really need to name each Radiological study, all of this is moot.

5

fsgl wrote on Thursday, December 11, 2014:

For the denominator, I thought something like attached would work.

For the numerator, counting entries in Documents should fill the bill.

6

cmswest wrote on Thursday, December 11, 2014:

I like your practical approach that you present below fsgl.

It’s that the HL7 feed most likely will include the LOINC code and it’s the linkage with LOINC and RadLex that would be beneficial.

Maybe grab all incoming LOINC codes that aren’t Laboratory and try to parse?

7

fsgl wrote on Thursday, December 11, 2014:

According to this Wiki page the folks responsible for Core Measure 10 (lab stuff) is ZH.

They should know something about LOINC codes & where Ken can find the Radiology section.

You’re correct that LOINC codes are required for Measure 10 regarding the electronic transmission of results from labs.

8

tmccormi wrote on Monday, January 05, 2015:

The wiki is out of date. We plan on using rod’s native lab ok interfaces
for MU2.

Tony McCormick

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