Economic and biological costs of cardiac imaging.

摘要: Medical imaging market consists of several billion tests per year worldwide. Out these, at least one third are cardiovascular procedures. Keeping in mind that each test represents a cost, often risk, and diagnostic hypothesis, we can agree every unnecessary unjustifiable is too many. Small individual costs, risks, wastes multiplied by billions examinations represent an important population, society environmental burden. Unfortunately, the appropriateness cardiac extra-ordinarily low there little awareness patients physicians differential radiological doses, long term risks different modalities. For resting test, being average cost (not charges) echocardiogram equal to 1 (as comparator), CT 3.1x, SPECT 3.27x, Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 5.51x, PET 14.03x, right left heart catheterization 19.96x. stress imaging, compared with treadmill exercise echocardiography 2.1x scintigraphy 5.7x. Biohazards downstream long-term costs linked radiation-induced oncogenesis should also be considered. The radiation exposure absent echo magnetic resonance, corresponds 500 chest x rays for sestamibi scan 1150 thallium scan. corresponding extra-risk lifetime fatal cancer 2000 exposed 1000 Increased economic, biologic, will hopefully lead greater appropriateness, wisdom prudence from both prescriber practitioner. In this way, sustainability eventually improve.