Order entry system attacks wasteful imaging referrals

Article

Order entry system attacks wasteful imaging referrals

Two years of experience with Massachusetts General Hospital’s radiology order entry system indicate the decision-support features embedded in the software cut down on inappropriate image utilization. They also help referring doctors learn the most appropriate imaging application for specific symptomatic indications.

MGH fellow Pragya Dang conducted an evaluation of the system from the fourth quarter of 2004 to the fourth quarter of 2006. Dang found low-utility CT exams decreased from 11% of the total volume before implementation to 4% by the end of the study period. High-utility CT exams rose significantly in the same period, from 86% before implementation to 93% after referrers learned to use the system.

The same trend was seen for MR utilization. Clinical indications with the highest prevalence of inappropriate study order patterns included dementia, syncope, chronic headache, and back pain. Dang reported the results at the 2007 RSNA meeting.

Recent Videos
Improving Access to Nuclear Imaging: An Interview with SNMMI President Jean-Luc C. Urbain, MD, PhD
SNMMI: 18F-Piflufolastat PSMA PET/CT Offers High PPV for Local PCa Recurrence Regardless of PSA Level
SNMMI: NIH Researcher Discusses Potential of 18F-Fluciclovine for Multiple Myeloma Detection
SNMMI: What Tau PET Findings May Reveal About Modifiable Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease
Emerging Insights on the Use of FES PET for Women with Lobular Breast Cancer
Can Generative AI Reinvent Radiology Reporting?: An Interview with Samir Abboud, MD
Mammography Study Reveals Over Sixfold Higher Risk of Advanced Cancer Presentation with Symptom-Detected Cancers
Combining Advances in Computed Tomography Angiography with AI to Enhance Preventive Care
Study: MRI-Based AI Enhances Detection of Seminal Vesicle Invasion in Prostate Cancer
What New Research Reveals About the Impact of AI and DBT Screening: An Interview with Manisha Bahl, MD
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.