ImagingStudyType

Reference data for imaging study types with standardized coding (CPT, LOINC). Defines imaging modalities, body sites, contrast requirements, and typical durations for scheduling and ordering.

Overview

ImagingStudyType provides standardized definitions of imaging procedures. Each type includes a code, modality (X-ray, CT, MRI, etc.), body site, contrast requirements, and typical duration. This reference data supports radiology ordering, scheduling systems, and clinical decision support by providing consistent imaging study definitions across the healthcare system.

Key Concepts

Imaging Modalities

The modality field classifies the imaging technology:

Modality	Description	Common Uses
`x-ray`	Radiography	Chest, bones, abdomen
`ct`	Computed Tomography	Cross-sectional imaging
`mri`	Magnetic Resonance	Soft tissue, neurologic
`ultrasound`	Sonography	Obstetric, abdominal, vascular
`pet`	Positron Emission Tomography	Oncology, cardiac
`nuclear-medicine`	Radioisotope studies	Thyroid, bone scan
`mammography`	Breast imaging	Screening, diagnostic
`fluoroscopy`	Real-time X-ray	GI studies, procedures
`angiography`	Vascular imaging	Cardiac cath, interventional
`dexa`	Bone densitometry	Osteoporosis screening

Coding Systems

The system field identifies the terminology:

System	Use Case	Example
`CPT`	Billing and ordering	71046
`LOINC`	Lab/radiology results	24604-4
`SNOMED-CT`	Clinical findings	168537006
`RADLEX`	Radiology lexicon	RID28745

Contrast Requirements

The contrastRequired field indicates:

Whether IV or oral contrast is typical
Affects patient preparation
May require lab work (renal function)
Allergy screening needed
Impacts scheduling duration

Body Site

Links to HealthReferenceBodySite:

Primary anatomical area imaged
Supports order validation
Guides patient positioning
Informs radiation shielding

Typical Duration

The typicalDurationMinutes field:

Expected procedure length
Guides scheduling slot size
Resource planning
Patient time expectations

Use Cases

Radiology Ordering

When ordering imaging:

Select appropriate study type
System validates body site matches indication
Check contrast requirements
Flag allergies if contrast needed
Schedule appropriate time slot

Scheduling Optimization

For radiology scheduling:

Use typical duration for slot sizing
Account for contrast studies (longer)
Group compatible modalities
Optimize scanner utilization
Plan patient prep time

Clinical Decision Support

For order guidance:

Present appropriate studies for indication
Show radiation exposure considerations
Flag contrast contraindications
Suggest alternatives when needed
Support appropriateness criteria

Protocol Selection

When preparing study:

Look up study type by code
Apply modality-specific protocol
Configure contrast administration
Adjust for body site
Set acquisition parameters

Billing and Coding

For revenue cycle:

Map study type to CPT code
Validate code matches performed exam
Support charge capture
Enable accurate billing
Track utilization by type

Related Entities

Entity	Relationship	Description
HealthReferenceBodySite	References	Primary body site imaged
ClinicalObservation	Referenced by	Imaging findings use this type

Enums

system

Value	Description
`CPT`	Current Procedural Terminology - standard billing codes
`LOINC`	Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes
`SNOMED-CT`	Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms
`RADLEX`	Radiology Lexicon - radiology-specific terminology
`other`	Other coding system not listed

modality

Value	Description
`x-ray`	Conventional radiography using ionizing radiation
`ct`	Computed tomography providing cross-sectional images
`mri`	Magnetic resonance imaging using magnetic fields
`ultrasound`	Sonography using sound waves
`pet`	Positron emission tomography for metabolic imaging
`nuclear-medicine`	Imaging using radioactive tracers
`mammography`	Specialized breast imaging
`fluoroscopy`	Real-time continuous X-ray imaging
`angiography`	Vascular imaging with contrast
`dexa`	Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for bone density
`other`	Other imaging modality not listed

8 properties

Schema

Properties

Property	Type	Mode	Description	Required
code	string	stored	Standardized imaging study code Example: `"71046"`	Required
system	string	stored	Coding system used Values: `CPT, LOINC, SNOMED-CT, RADLEX, other` Example: `"CPT"`	Required
label	string	stored	Human-readable name of the imaging study Example: `"Chest X-ray, 2 views"`	Required
modality	string	stored	Imaging modality Values: `x-ray, ct, mri, ultrasound, pet, nuclear-medicine, mammography, fluoroscopy, angiography, dexa, other` Example: `"x-ray"`	Required
bodySite	HealthReferenceBodySite	stored	Primary body site imaged	Optional
contrastRequired	boolean	stored	Whether contrast is typically required	Optional
typicalDurationMinutes	number	stored	Typical duration of the study in minutes Example: `15`	Optional
description	string	stored	Additional details about the imaging study	Optional

Examples

Example 1

{
  "@type": "ImagingStudyType",
  "code": "71046",
  "system": "CPT",
  "label": "Chest X-ray, 2 views",
  "modality": "x-ray",
  "contrastRequired": false,
  "typicalDurationMinutes": 15,
  "description": "Standard chest radiograph with PA and lateral views"
}

Example 2

{
  "@type": "ImagingStudyType",
  "code": "74177",
  "system": "CPT",
  "label": "CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast",
  "modality": "ct",
  "contrastRequired": true,
  "typicalDurationMinutes": 30,
  "description": "Computed tomography of abdomen and pelvis with IV contrast"
}

Example 3

{
  "@type": "ImagingStudyType",
  "code": "70553",
  "system": "CPT",
  "label": "MRI brain with and without contrast",
  "modality": "mri",
  "contrastRequired": true,
  "typicalDurationMinutes": 60,
  "description": "Magnetic resonance imaging of brain with and without gadolinium"
}