Medicare Enrolled
Dr. David Carlson, M.D.
Nuclear Medicine · Santa Barbara, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Carlson from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Carlson
Dr. David Carlson is a nuclear medicine specialist in Santa Barbara, CA, with 16 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Carlson performed 52,181 Medicare services across 3,515 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Carlson received a total of $926 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 34 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in nuclear medicine. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Carlson is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 16 years in practice
▲ Top 3% volume in CA
$926 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗52,181
Medicare services
Top 3% in CA for nuclear medicine
3,515
Unique beneficiaries
$50
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~3,261 Medicare services per year of practice
Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
46,829 | $0 | $0 |
| Piflufolastat F-18 diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of the radioactive tracer piflufolastat F-18 used for imaging. The dose specified is 1 millicurie. |
1,299 | $489 | $1,500 |
| Nuclear medicine scan from skull base to mid-thigh with CT A nuclear medicine imaging study covering the area from the base of the skull to the middle of the thighs, performed alongside a CT scan. |
825 | $1,450 | $4,501 |
| Fluorodeoxyglucose f-18 fdg, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 45 millicuries | 785 | $281 | $1,257 |
| CT scan of chest with contrast A computed tomography scan of the chest using a contrast dye to enhance the visibility of internal structures. |
498 | $140 | $853 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan that uses dye to create detailed images of the abdomen and pelvis. This imaging test helps doctors examine internal organs and structures in these areas. |
480 | $280 | $902 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
236 | $45 | $123 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
128 | $11 | $838 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the abdominal and pelvic organs. The procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
125 | $163 | $586 |
| CT scan of chest, without contrast A computed tomography scan of the chest area that uses X-rays to create detailed images without the use of contrast dye. |
106 | $122 | $717 |
| Whole body nuclear medicine scan with CT A combined imaging procedure using nuclear medicine and CT scans to visualize the entire body. |
106 | $1,453 | $4,724 |
| CT scan of neck soft tissue with contrast A computed tomography scan that uses contrast dye to create detailed images of the soft tissues in the neck. |
98 | $160 | $767 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
65 | $374 | $1,689 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
60 | $54 | $319 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
58 | $11 | $54 |
| Copper Cu-64 dotatate diagnostic injection A diagnostic nuclear medicine injection using Copper Cu-64 dotatate to help image specific tissues or receptors in the body. |
56 | $851 | $2,494 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
49 | $17 | $80 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A test that monitors the heart's electrical activity while the patient exercises or receives medication to increase heart rate. |
46 | $24 | $185 |
| Lung ventilation and perfusion scan A nuclear medicine test that uses radioactive tracers to evaluate both air flow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. |
44 | $40 | $366 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tilmanocept diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tilmanocept used for imaging, with a dosage of up to 0.5 millicuries. |
39 | $521 | $1,000 |
| Nuclear medicine liver and bile duct scan A nuclear medicine imaging test to evaluate the liver and bile duct system. |
29 | $28 | $222 |
| SPECT/CT scan, single area A nuclear medicine imaging study that combines single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with a concurrent CT scan to create detailed images of a single body area. |
29 | $392 | $1,532 |
| Injection of radioactive material for lymph node identification A radioactive substance is injected to help locate lymph nodes during imaging procedures. |
27 | $73 | $224 |
| CT scan of neck soft tissue, without contrast A CT scan that creates detailed images of the soft tissues in the neck using X-rays without the use of contrast dye. |
26 | $137 | $643 |
| Whole body bone and joint nuclear medicine scan A nuclear medicine imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer to create pictures of the entire skeleton and joints. This scan helps evaluate bone health and detect abnormalities throughout the body. |
18 | $34 | $522 |
| Nuclear medicine stomach emptying study A nuclear medicine test used to assess how quickly the stomach empties its contents. |
15 | $31 | $233 |
| SPECT nuclear medicine scan, 1 area A nuclear medicine imaging test using a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan to create detailed images of one specific area of the body. |
15 | $326 | $982 |
| Radioactive drug therapy through a vein Administration of a radioactive medication directly into the bloodstream via an intravenous line. |
15 | $128 | $420 |
| Nuclear medicine study to assess blood loss A nuclear medicine test used to evaluate and locate active bleeding within the body. |
14 | $36 | $227 |
| Nuclear medicine lung circulation study A nuclear medicine test that uses a small amount of radioactive material to create images of blood flow through the lungs. |
14 | $27 | $213 |
| CT scan of abdomen with contrast A CT scan of the abdomen using a contrast dye to create detailed images of internal organs and structures. |
13 | $216 | $892 |
| Technetium Tc-99m oxidronate diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m oxidronate used for imaging studies, with a dosage up to 30 millicuries. |
12 | $39 | $125 |
| CT scan of abdomen without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the abdominal organs and structures. This procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
11 | $118 | $698 |
| I-123 ioflupane diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of I-123 ioflupane used for imaging studies, with a dose up to 5 millicuries. |
11 | $2,206 | $5,250 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
0.1% high complexity
98.4% medium
1.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$926
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $132/year across 7 years
Top 28% in CA for nuclear medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
10
Companies
34
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$926 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$135
2023
$210
2022
$152
2021
$85
2020
$23
2019
$55
2018
$266
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$88
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$27
GE HEALTHCARE
$20
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$226
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$172
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$161
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$120
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$88
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$82
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$27
GE HEALTHCARE
$20
Boston Scientific Corporation
$17
Allergan Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 60.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Axumin · GENERAL THERAPIES · LEXISCAN · LINZESS · LUTATHERA · Lexiscan · POSLUMA · PYLARIFY · Xofigo · Zevalin
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Nuclear medicines within 10 mi
2
Per 100K population
0.5
County median income
$95,977
Nearest hospital
SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Carlson is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 16 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Carlson experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Carlson performed 46,829 contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Carlson receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Carlson received a total of $926 from 10 companies across 34 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Carlson's costs compare to other nuclear medicines in Santa Barbara?
Dr. Carlson's average Medicare payment per service is $50. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Carlson) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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