Dr. Thomas Lu, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Lu
Dr. Thomas Lu is a vascular & interventional radiology physician in Houston, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Lu performed 682 Medicare services across 641 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Lu received a total of $1,616 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 24 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in vascular & interventional radiology physician. 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. Lu is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review by radiologist of ct guidance for needle placement | 80 | $55 | $517 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for insertion or removal of central vein access device | 65 | $14 | $317 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement | 62 | $24 | $394 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for blood vessel access | 53 | $11 | $150 |
| Insertion of central venous tube with port (5 years or older) | 51 | $259 | $3,054 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure (5 years or older), initial 15 minutes | 51 | $10 | $120 |
| Chest X-ray, 1 view | 45 | $7 | $87 |
| Drainage of fluid from abdominal cavity using imaging guidance | 39 | $76 | $947 |
| Needle biopsy of liver through skin | 35 | $64 | $1,121 |
| Needle biopsy of growth of abdominal cavity | 31 | $60 | $1,082 |
| Placement of device in prostate for radiation therapy | 29 | $41 | $1,142 |
| Injection of biodegradable material next to prostate | 27 | $115 | $1,584 |
| Needle biopsy or removal of surface lymph nodes | 26 | $60 | $1,193 |
| Core needle biopsy of lung or center cavity of chest (mediastinum), accessed through skin | 17 | $118 | $1,743 |
| Removal of central venous tube with port or pump | 16 | $131 | $1,724 |
| Deep biopsy of bone using needle or trocar | 15 | $101 | $1,647 |
| Ultrasound study of arm and leg arteries | 15 | $10 | $247 |
| Ultrasound of both sides of head and neck blood flow | 13 | $29 | $628 |
| Replacement of kidney drainage tube using imaging guidance with review by radiologist | 12 | $87 | $2,002 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Lu is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Lu experienced with review by radiologist of ct guidance for needle placement?
Does Dr. Lu receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Lu's costs compare to other vascular & interventional radiology physicians in Houston?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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. The Transparency Score measures 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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology