From 12 March 2012, new MRI items will be available for the evaluation of the integrity of breast implants known or suspected to have been manufactured by Poly Implant Protheses (PIP), a French company.

Information for Patients

Do you have a PIP breast implant?

If you have a PIP implant or are unsure about the brand of your implant you are strongly encouraged to seek advice from your medical practitioner to seek a clinical assessment. This assessment may include a referral for an MRI scan.

Yes, I have (or think I have) a PIP breast implant, what next?

As of Monday, 12 March 2012 you will have access to one Medicare rebated MRI scan within the next 12 months, to evaluate the integrity of your implant. If you develop symptoms of implant rupture you will also be able to receive a Medicare rebate for MRI, regardless of whether or not you have previously had a normal MRI.

If you are referred for an MRI, you will require a referral from your specialist or GP, that states you have or are suspected of having a PIP branded implant. If you have symptoms of a rupture, your GP or Specialist must also note this on your referral.

Where can I have my MRI scan?

You can have your MRI scan on any MRI machine that has a dedicated breast coil and is accredited to provide Diagnostic Imaging Services. A list of Diagnostic Imaging Practices that provide breast MRI services is available below. This list will be updated regularly as other DI practices/locations are identified.

Australian Capital Territory

National Capital Diagnostic Imaging

161 Strickland Crescent
Deakin ACT 2600

02 6285 2699

New South Wales

North Shore Radiology and Nuclear Medicine	1 Westbourne Street St Leonards NSW 2065	02 8425 3666
Hunter Imaging Group Pty Ltd	48 Thomas Street Cardiff NSW 2285	132336
San Radiology	185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga NSW 2076	02 9487 9839
Concord Repatriation General Hospital	Radiology Department Level 1 Building 3 Hospital Road Concord NSW 2139	02 9767 7852
South East Radiology	33 Berry Street Nowra NSW 2 541	02 4422 1500
Occam Medical Imaging	MRI Suite Radiology Level 2 Westmead Hospital (Public) cnr Darcy and Hawkesbury Rd Westmead NSW 2145	02 9845 7200
Royal North Shore Hospital	Pacific Highway St Leonards NSW 2065	02 9926 8505 or 02 9926 8773
Penrith Imaging	Specialist Medical Centre Ground Floor Suite 4 68 Derby Street Penrith NSW 2750	02 4737 3300
Ultrascan Radiology Park Central	Ground Floor Cnr Hyde Parade &Parkside Crescent Campbelltown NSW 2560	02 4626 1940
Regional Imaging Riverina	36 Hardy Avenue Wagga Wagga NSW 2650	02 6932 1300
Nepean Public Hospital	Medical Imaging Department Level 2 West Block Derby Street Penrith NSW 2750	02 4734 1482
Sydney XRay	3 Waverley Street Bondi Junction NSW 2022	02 9386 1066
Southern Radiology Miranda	Suite 1 & 2 32-36 Urunga Parade Miranda NSW 1490	02 9531 8801
Prince of Wales Private Hospital	SE27 Level 7 Barker Street Randwick NSW 2031	02 9339 1200
Gosford Private Hospital	Jarrett Street North Gosford NSW 2250	02 4324 0006
Norwest Hospital	11 Norbrik Drive Bella Vista NSW 2153	02 8882 8822
PRP Diagnostic Imaging Gordon	741 Pacific Highway Gordon NSW 2072	02 9498 2500
City XRay	Ground Floor 139 Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000	02 9251 5233
Specialist Magnetic Resonance Imaging RPAH	Suite G4 100 Carillon Avenue Newton NSW 2042	02 9557 1464
Illawarra Medical Imaging	Lower Level Piccadilly Building 341 Crown Street Wollongong NSW 2500	02 4222 0022
Highlands XRay	Shop 4 380 Bong Bong Street Bowral NSW 2576	02 4862 2355
Regional Imaging Ltd	Ramsay Place 3 Ramsay Place Albury NSW 2640	02 6022 5200
Mater Hospital	Mater Imaging Radiology Rocklands Road North Sydney NSW 2060	02 9955 4466
Ultrascan Radiology	151-155 Hawkesbury Road Westmead NSW 2145	02 9635 3900
CScan Charlestown	95 Pacific Highway Charlestown NSW 2290	02 4920 8555
Macquarie Medical Imaging	Macquarie University Hospital 3 Technology Place Macquarie University NSW 2109	02 9430 1100
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Radiology Department	Missenden Road Camperdown NSW 2050	02 9515 8093

Queensland

Greenslopes Private Hospital	121 Newdegate Street Greenslopes QLD 4120	07 3421 0444
Rockhampton Mater	31 Ward Street Rockhampton QLD 4700	07 4931 0400
Gladstone Mater Hospital	50 Rosella Street West Gladstone QLD 4680	07 4972 6544
Caboolture Hospital	Southern X-Ray Clinic Ground Floor McKean Street Caboolture QLD 4510	07 5498 3055
Mater Townsville	21-37 15 Fulham Road Pimlico QLD 4812	07 4759 2800
Wesley Medical Imaging	451 Coronation Drive Auchenflower QLD 4066	07 3371 9588
Cairns Private Hospital	144 Lake St Cairns QLD 4870	07 4046 7800
Mater Health Services	39 Annerley Road South Brisbane QLD 4101	07 3163 8495
Cairns Base Hospital	Medical Imaging Department Lake Street Cairns QLD 4870	07 4226 6241
Bundaberg Radiology	Mater Hospital 313 Bourbong Street Bundaberg QLD 4670	07 4150 0200
Queensland XRay Coorparoo	342 Old Cleveland Road Coorparoo QLD 4151	07 3456 3100
Sunnybank Private Hospital	249 McCullough Street Sunnybank QLD 4109	07 3347 2700
Queensland XRay Bayside	Medical Hub 16 Weippin Street Cleveland QLD 4163	07 3488 5600
St Vincent’s Private Hospital	22-36 Scott Street Toowoomba QLD 4350	07 4659 4500
Mater Private Hospital Mackay	76 Willetts Road Mackay QLD 4740	07 4965 6200
QDI Buderim	Queensland Diagnostic Imaging Lyrebird Street Specialist Centre Buderim QLD 4556	07 5444 5877
Noosa Radiology	Suite 301/90 Goodchap Street Noosaville QLD 4566	07 5440 9700
Wesley Breast Clinic	The Wesley Hospital Chasley Street Auchenflower QLD 4066	07 3232 7202
Gold Coast Surgery Centre	103-113 Nerang Street Southport QLD 4226	07 5591 8366
Pacific Radiology Pty Ltd	49 Baden Powell Street Maroochydore QLD 4558	07 5409 2800
Qscan Windsor	142 Newmarket Road Windsor QLD 4030	07 3357 0333
Qscan Annerley	319 Ipswich Road Annerely QLD 4103	07 3357 0388
Qscan Redcliffe	6 Silvyn Road Redcliffe QLD 4020	07 3357 0922
Qscan Southport	Pacific Private Clinic G/123Nerang Street Southport QLD 4215	07 5591 5422
Robina Hospital	2 Bayberry Lane Robina QLD 4226	07 5668 6799
Gold Coast Hospital	108 Nerang Street Southport QLD 4226	07 5519 8800
Sunshine Coast Radiology	60 Wises Road Maroochydore QLD 4558	07 5430 3900
Rockhampton Base Hospital	Canning Street Rockhampton QLD 4700	07 4920 6430
Townsville Hospital	100 Angus Smith Drive Douglas QLD 4814	07 4433 4600
Nambour General Hospital	Hospital Road Nambour QLD 4560	07 5470 6410

South Australia

Radiology SA Memorial Hospital	The Memorial Hospital Sir Edwin Smith Avenue North Adelaide SA 5006	08 8402 0282
Benson Radiology	MRI Suite Ground Floor Ashford Specialist Centre 57-59 Anzac Highway Ashford SA 5035	08 8297 0588
St Andrews Hospital	St Andrews Hospital 350 South Terrace Adelaide SA 5000	08 8402 4424
Benson Radiology	115 Main South Rd Morphett Vale SA 5162	08 8383 8000
Benson Radiology North Adelaide	229 Melbourne Street North Adelaide SA 5006	08 8281 2066
Benson Radiology Salisbury	37-39 Park Terrace Salisbury SA 5108	08 8281 2066

Tasmania

Calvary Hospital

Calvary Hospital Radiology Dept, Floor G
Augusta Rd
Lenah Valley TAS 7008

03 6242 8000

Victoria

Western Health Medical Imaging	Sunshine Hospital 176 Furlong Road St Albans VIC 3021	03 9345 1664
St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne	41 Victoria Street Fitzroy VIC 3065	03 9288 3056
Goulburn Valley Health	Graham Street Shepparton VIC 3630	03 5832 2380
Ballarat MRI	1 Drummond Street North Ballarat VIC 3350	03 5320 4311
Mercy Private Hospital	Level 1 141 Grey Street East Melbourne VIC 3002	03 9417 5788
Richmond Diagnostic Imaging	Level 2 89 Bridge Road Richmond VIC 3121	03 9242 4800 or 03 9242 4888
Geelong Hospital	Ryrie St Geelong VIC 3220	03 5226 7559
St John of God Hospital	Ground Floor 80 Myers Street Geelong VIC 3220	03 5273 1300
Frankston Private Hospital	24-28 Frankston-Flinders Rd Frankston VIC 3199	03 8781 5200
Frankston Public Hospital	Level 3 2 Hastings Road Frankston VIC 3199	03 9784 7501
St John of God Hospital	Ground Floor Drummond Street North Ballarat VIC 3350	03 5304 9000
Future Medical Imaging Group	109 Burwood Road Hawthorn VIC 3122	03 9818 7833
Future Medical Imaging Group	347 Ascot Vale Road Moonee Ponds VIC 3039	03 9375 3400
Monash Radiology	Unit 1 212 Clayton Road East Melbourne VIC 3168	03 8540 3400
Warringal Medical Centre	Level 2 214 Burgundy Street Heidelberg VIC 3084	03 9459 8633
Moorabbin Radiology	758-760 Centre Road East Bentleigh VIC 3165	03 9242 8000
Warrnambool Radiology	South West Healthcare Ryot Street Warrnambool VIC 3280	03 5563 1504
Austin Hospital	145 Studley Road Heidelberg VIC 3084	03 9496 3463

Western Australia

St John of God Subiaco	12 Salvado Rd Subiaco WA 6008	08 9320 1288 or 08 9320 1200
Royal Perth Hospital	Radiology Department North Block Level 3 Wellington Street Perth WA 6001	08 9224 2881
Saint John of God Murdoch	100 Murdoch Drive Murdoch WA 6150	08 9320 1288 or 9320 1200
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital	Hospital Avenue Nedlands WA 6009	08 9346 7900
Perth Radiological Clinic	Level 2 40 Mounts Bay Road Perth WA 6000	08 9424 4600
InSight Clinical Imaging – Midland	Unit 2 3-7 The Crescent Midland WA 6056	08 9274 4500
InSight Clinical Imaging – Joondalup	Unit 3 7 Wise Street Joondalup WA 6027	08 9301 5700
South West Health Campus	Bussell Highway Bunbury WA 6230	08 9726 6999

Northern Territory

Royal Darwin Hospital*

Rocklands Drive
Tiwi NT 0811

08 8922 8888

*Services available from 5 June 2012

When making an appointment to have your MRI scan you should check if the provider has a dedicated breast coil, as not all MRI providers have dedicated breast coils. Your MRI scan must also be provided by a specialist radiologist.

MRI providers will be able to provide you with detailed information regarding the scan and what the use of a breast coil involves.

It is important to note that you can currently take a request form for a diagnostic imaging service to any accredited diagnostic imaging provider. Patients are not compelled to take the request for the service to the provider stated on the referral form and both private imaging practices and many public hospitals provide diagnostic imaging Medicare services. You may also wish to discuss your concerns with your Specialist or GP at the time the diagnostic imaging request is made.

Can my MRI scan be bulk billed or do I have to pay?

Medicare rebates apply to the new PIP MRI items. The schedule fee for the PIP MRI services has been set at $500 per item.

The Government encourages bulk billing, but it is at the provider’s discretion whether or not to bulk bill. There are bulk billing incentives for diagnostic imaging services, including these new MRI services. Medical practitioners, including radiologists, are free to set their own value on the services they provide. While the Government is responsible for setting the schedule fee on which Medicare benefits are based, there is nothing to prevent radiologists or any other medical practitioner setting fees that exceed those in the schedule. In these circumstances, you may be required to pay the gap between the fee charged and the Medicare rebate.

Breast Implant Information Line - 1800 217 257

The Australian Government has set up a free-call help line for individuals concerned about breast implants. The help line can be called 24 hours a day.

If you are a diagnostic imaging provider and have questions regarding the new items, please contact the MRI hotline on (02) 6289 9100 during normal business hours or email the MRI Section.

Information for Diagnostic Imaging Providers

The item numbers, item descriptors and schedule fee for the Medicare rebateable PIP MRI items are available on the MBS Online website.

There are some important differences between the requirements for these new items, compared to existing Medicare rebated MRI items.

Referral to PIP MRI services

These items will be accessed by referral from a specialist or consultant physician, as is the case for other MRI services. However, these items will also be able to be accessed by referral from a GP.

For a number of reasons patients may not have access to a specialist therefore GP referral will help to ensure that affected patients have timely access to MRI services, and allow patients with normal results to be managed in the primary care setting.

Both Specialists and General Practitioners will need to identify that their patient is known or suspected of having a PIP branded implant when referring their patients for these Medicare rebated MRI services, and if the patient has presented with symptoms of an implant rupture.

Access to MRI Services

The requirements for these items are different from existing MRI services.
Items 63501, 63502, 63504 and 63505 may be provided on Medicare-eligible and Medicare-ineligible MRI units (providing they use a dedicated breast coil), as long as the service is provided within an imaging practice which is accredited under the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme.
Items 63501, 63502, 63504 and 63505 must be provided by a specialist radiologist.

Item number selection and scan results

To assist in gathering data about the rate of actual ruptures of PIP implants, radiologists and imaging practices are asked to claim an item number that indicates whether or not the MRI scan shows loss of integrity of the implant. This will provide data to assist in appropriate future support and management of these patients.

New modifying Items

Two new modifying items have been created for use (where applicable) with the new MRI items.

These items can only be claimed in association with items 63501, 63502, 63504 or 63505.

Items 63498 and 63499 must be provided in the presence of a medical practitioner who is qualified to perform an anaesthetic.

Media release from The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Health

Women with PIP breast implants to receive subsidised MRI scans

Medicare-Eligible MRI service for Poly Implant Protheses (PIP) breast implants

In this section:

Medicare-Eligible MRI service for PIP breast implants