Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in bone marrow biopsies performed in the United States by physician specialty and practice setting.
Methods: The CMS Medicare Physician Supplier Procedure Summary database was queried from 2005 to 2016 for bone marrow biopsies and aspirations (BMBs). Data were categorized according to the largest subspecialty groups (medicine, surgery, radiology, pathology, and other) and encounter setting (office, inpatient hospital, and outpatient hospital). Trends in procedure volume by specialty and practice setting were evaluated.
Results: Between 2005 and 2016, an annual average of 11,417 BMBs were performed (range, 10,380-14,204), with no significant year-over-year change in volume. Medicine was the largest provider of BMBs by specialty, although their market share over this time period declined from 60.2% to 36.6%. Radiology saw the greatest growth in BMB market share from 4.1% to 16.2%. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of BMBs performed by medicine subspecialists demonstrated a decrease in year-over-year procedural volume at -5.16% (P < .001). Both surgery and radiology demonstrated positive trends in the number of BMBs performed, with CAGRs of 6.20% (P < .001) and 12.43% (P < .001), respectively. Independent of physician specialty, there was a decrease in the number of biopsies performed in the office setting, decreasing by a CAGR of -5.59% (P < .001).
Conclusions: From 2005 to 2016, medicine has remained the primary provider of BMBs, although their market share has declined. Radiology has experienced the greatest rate of growth in this time period and now represents the third largest individual specialty providing this service.
Keywords: Bone marrow biopsy; Medicare summary claims data.
Copyright © 2020 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.