Study finds high percentage of inappropriate imaging orders in the ED

A significant percentage of imaging exams ordered in emergency departments (EDs) may be inappropriate, according to new research published April 26 in Emergency Radiology. In a retrospective analysis of orders from an ED at an urban academic center, a multi-institutional research team also found that inappropriate imaging orders resulted in detection of significant findings much less frequently than appropriate exams. “Appropriately ordered exams were nearly three times more likely to yield significant findings that were consistent with the initial suspicion, compared to inappropriate orders,” wrote the group led by Martina Zaguini Francisco, MD, of the Universidade Federal de Ciencias da Saude de Porto Alegre in Brazil and senior author Bruno Hochhegger, MD, PhD, of the University of Florida, and colleagues. “These inappropriate orders resulted in no significant findings in more than 60% of cases across all modalities.” In an effort to evaluate the appropriateness and outcomes of ultrasound, CT, and MR exams ordered for adult ED patients at a tertiary care urban academic center, the researchers retrospectively reviewed consecutive orders from January to March 2019. They used the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria to classify imaging orders as either appropriate or inappropriate. In cases that involved clinical scenarios not covered in the Appropriateness Criteria, two radiologists judged the cases in consensus. The study included 330 c...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Practice Management Emergency Radiology Source Type: news