New HCPCS Reimbursement Code For Implantable Radiation Dosimeter Makes DVS(R) Accessible To More Cancer Patients

Main Category: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine
Also Included In: Medical Devices;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 31 Jan 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Sicel Technologies, Inc. announced that CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has established a new HCPCS code (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) that became effective on January 1, 2008, for implantable radiation dosimeters.

The code will provide a mechanism for providers to report the cost for the DVS® (Dose Verification System), the first implantable dosimeter used to verify radiation dose during radiation therapy treatment and serve as a radiographic treatment marker. The code, which will be used by radiation therapy centers to report the medical device when implanted in any body site, makes DVS more accessible to patients undergoing radiation treatment for breast and prostate cancer because insurers will have the ability to identify the use of this novel technology and provide payment for patients treated with the DVS technology. Separate codes are available to cover the cost associated with implanting the device.

"The use of innovative technologies like DVS to adequately report dose delivery to payers enables radiation oncologists to utilize therapeutic advances that help optimize treatment on an individual patient basis," says Michael Riddle, President and CEO for Sicel Technologies. "Many radiation oncologists have anxiously awaited the establishment of this new HCPCS code to begin ordering and reporting the use of DVS routinely for cancer patients. By easing the health insurance claim process using the new code, we anticipate this will enable more radiation therapy centers to offer DVS to their patients who will benefit from this technology."

Fifty to sixty percent of cancer patients will undergo radiation treatment as part of their therapy. Successful tumor control requires accurate and precise delivery of the prescribed radiation plan. DVS is the first and only device available to verify, on a daily basis, both the actual amount of radiation reaching the tumor target and highlight the tumor target in Image Guided Radiation Therapy. Together with other tools, physicians use the information to deliver a more consistent daily dose and optimized treatment plans to each patient.

"Increasingly, we are utilizing radiation therapy protocols designed to deliver higher doses of radiation to smaller targeted areas. These protocols enable us to effectively kill cancerous cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue that may result in unwanted side effects," says Catherine Lee M.D., Rex Cancer Center Raleigh, NC. "But they also require a high degree of accuracy and precision to be successful. DVS confirms that the radiation we prescribe for our patient is getting to the intended target, and alerts us to variations during the course of treatment when there is an opportunity to evaluate and correct, if necessary, the cause of the variations."

The FDA cleared DVS for use in breast and prostate treatment in 2006.

About Sicel Technologies

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, Sicel Technologies, Inc. is a privately held, specialty device company focused on the development of revolutionary therapies that significantly impact the treatment of cancer-a leading cause of death in the U.S., second only to heart disease.

Sicel Technologies, Inc., developed the DVS®, the first U.S. Food & Drug Administration-approved wireless implantable sensors designed to assist clinicians in determining the actual dose of radiation being delivered to the tumor. The Company also makes and markets OneDose™ patient dosimetry verification systems specifically designed for radiation oncology therapy.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment.

We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Unknown risk, uncertainties as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the results, performance or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Sicel Technologies