Bipartisan bill would invest $25M to bolster use of key medical imaging software

Two congressmen recently proposed a bipartisan bill that would invest $25 million in federal funding to bolster use of a key medical imaging software. 

U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., and Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., on July 14 introduced the Advanced Imaging for Respiratory Care, Assessment and Research Excellence for Vets Act. They contend that current diagnostic approaches for respiratory conditions are limited by standard testing procedures using whole-lung assessments.

The two lawmakers hope to address these challenges by broadening access to four-dimensional imaging technology that would allow for more accurate testing. If passed, the AIR CARE for Vets Act would authorize $5 million in annual funding for the next five years, allowing the VA to lease eligible software to treat vets. 

"Under this bill, veterans suffering from respiratory conditions and lung cancer would receive better quality care at the VA through the use of imaging software equipped to properly evaluate their symptoms,” Ciscomani said in a statement July 16. “Better imaging software means an improved rate of diagnosis, which would save lives by catching issues like lung cancer sooner.”

Standard testing procedures such as lung biopsies are often painful and invasive, the two congressmen note. This can impact many veterans who were exposed to toxic smoke from open air burn pits while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving them suffering from chronic respiratory illnesses, including COPD, asthma and lung cancer. 

House Resolution 9666 would direct the secretary of Veterans Affairs to launch a five-year pilot program, using functional imaging software to help pinpoint respiratory disorders and lung disease. It also would require the VA secretary to produce a report to Congress on the effectiveness of the effort. 

The bill’s text does not name a certain software brand, only specifying that eligible products must be 4D functional lung imaging software that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vendor 4DMedical, which offers products for assessing CT scans of the lung, praised the bill’s introduction on July 15. 

The Melbourne, Australia-based company also shared a comment from a veteran impacted by burn pits during his service time. He underwent a lung biopsy when searching for answers but believes he would have benefited from having this imaging technology available at the time. 

"For over a decade, I fought a different kind of war in waiting rooms, courtrooms, and the halls of Congress,” Captain Le Roy Torres, a retired Army vet and co-founder of Burn Pits 360, said in a statement July 15. “I wore two uniforms, one for my state and one for my country, and when I came home sick, I was met with doubt and denial…These are not minor ailments. They are devastating, progressive, and deadly. Being believed is not a privilege, it is a right. Every Veteran has the right to know what is happening inside their lungs.”

Respiratory conditions linked to military service continue to rise, given exposure to burn pits and other hazards, 4DMedical added. As claims under the previously passed PACT Act continue to increase, “improved screening and diagnostic tools may help the VA better identify affected veterans and support timely access to appropriate care and benefits,” the vendor noted.