[Positron emission tomography--a technique for the routine practice of ambulatory care?]

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has been regarded as a breakthrough technology that helps diagnoses various conditions. PET was developed in the United States during the 1960s, and has since diffused rather slowly into most modern health care systems. Germany is an exception, as here the diffusion of PET has been rapid, and more than 70 PET scanners have been installed. At present, PET scans are not included in the health care basket though they are often used and members of the statutory sickness fund frequently seek reimbursement for this technology. The Standing Committee therefore conducted a formal inquiry into the value of PET scanning in publicly funded (statutory) ambulatory health care. The Committee's decisions were based on a technology assessment of PET. This report found that PET has been approved by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) for five indications. The evidence for these five indications was compared to that for other diagnostic methods such as magnetic resonance imaging. The assessment found no convincing evidence to support the introduction of PET into statutory ambulatory health care in Germany. In April 2002 the Standing Committee consequently denied approval for the reimbursement of PET as a publicly funded diagnostic procedure.