Part 1Rules of interpretation

Part 1 Rules of interpretation

1 General

In this table, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Health Insurance Act 1973.

computed tomography means a service rendered (with or without intravenous contrast):

(a) using a detector coupled to an X-ray tube that emits a finely collimated X-ray beam as it rotates within a gantry around a patient either in incremental or helical manner; and

(b) registering a resulting variable amount of X-rays and transforming that information into a cross-sectional image after the application of complex algorithms.

CT means computed tomography.

CT equipment includes the following components:

(a) a gantry;

(b) a couch;

(c) a computer;

(d) an operator station;

(e) a generator.

exclusion, in relation to a condition for which a MRI or MRA service is requested, means use of the service as the initial imaging modality for diagnosis of the condition.

MRA means magnetic resonance angiography.

MRI means magnetic resonance imaging.

remote location means a place within Australia that is:

(a) more than 30 kilometres by road from a hospital that provides a radiology or computed tomography service under the direction of a specialist in the specialty of diagnostic radiology; or

(b) more than 30 kilometres by road from a free standing radiology or computed tomography facility under the direction of a specialist in the specialty of diagnostic radiology.

sequence, in relation to a scan, means a series of images collected at the same time with similar image parameters (not including a scan designed to establish patient position and subsequently used to plan other scans).

Note Specialist and other words and expressions used in this table are defined in subs 3 (1) of the Act.

2 References to items in the general medical services table

A reference by number to any of items 11240, 11603 to 11612, 30361 and 30488 is a reference to the item so numbered in the general medical services table.

3 Meaning of (R) and (NR)

(1) An item including the symbol (R) is an R-type diagnostic imaging service.

(2) An item including the symbol (NR) is an NR-type diagnostic imaging service.