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Temporal Trends in Imaging Utilization for Suspected Substance Use Disorder in an Academic Emergency Radiology Department

Temporal Trends in Imaging Utilization for Suspected Substance Use Disorder in an Academic Emergency Radiology Department

Authors :
Sarah F Mercaldo
Efren J. Flores
Ali S. Raja
McKinley Glover
Renata R. Almeida
David K. Tso
Michael H. Lev
Diego B. Lopez
Source :
Journal of the American College of Radiology. 16:1440-1446
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 2019.

Abstract

To assess temporal trends and utilization patterns of diagnostic imaging performed for substance use disorder (SUD)-related indications in an academic radiology emergency department (ED).Retrospective analyses of ED imaging examinations acquired from 2005 to 2015 were performed. Imaging examinations performed for suspected SUD-related indications, based on the order history, were compared with those without a SUD-related indication. Unadjusted analyses comparing demographic and imaging characteristics between SUD-related versus non-SUD-related indications used Wilcoxon and Pearson's χAmong 938,245 examinations, 0.17% had an SUD-related indication. Patients with SUD-related indications were younger (mean 37.2 ± 11.1 versus 53.5 ± 22.4, P.001) and more commonly male (65% versus 52%, P.001). The proportions of MR (17%), spine (17%), and extremities (33%) studies performed for SUD-related indications were larger among SUD than non-SUD indications (6%, 8%, 26%, respectively, all P.001). Regression analysis demonstrated the odds of acquiring an ED imaging examination with an SUD-related indication significantly increased over time (P.001, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.06), which was most pronounced among MR (P.001, aOR = 1.23). For all regression models, younger age, male gender, and body part being imaged were identified as independent predictors of an SUD-related indication for ED imaging.Imaging performed for an SUD-related indication represented a small but increasing subset of overall ED imaging. Utilization of MR for SUD-related indications significantly outpaced growth of MR without SUD-related indications.

Details

ISSN :
15461440
Volume :
16
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of the American College of Radiology
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....5555c8310b09fed8fe169e46280f1569
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2019.03.013