Improved Utilization Following Conversion of a Fluoroscopy Suite to Hybrid CT/Angiography System

Purpose To assess changes in operational utilization following conversion of a single IR suite to a hybrid CT/angiography (Angio-CT) system at an academic tertiary care center. Materials and Methods The total number of interventional procedures and diagnostic CT examinations performed in 29 rooms (20 diagnostic radiology, 7 IR, 2 shared between divisions) was calculated in the 24 months before conversion of an IR suite to Angio-CT and 12 months after conversion. The total number of IR procedures (global IR/month) and diagnostic CT scans per month (global CT/month) in both before and after conversion periods was calculated and defined as baseline institutional growth. This was compared against the change in the number of IR procedures performed in the before and after periods in the converted room (Angio-CT/month) as well as the number of diagnostic CT scans performed in the shared rooms (shared CT/month). Results The percent change in global CT and global IR from the before to the after periods was 39.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Shared CT per month and Angio-CT per month increased by 46.7% and 12.0% across the same time periods, respectively. The ratio of the percent increase in Angio-CT per month to percent increase in global IR per month was 3.87. The ratio of the percent increase in shared CT per month to percent increase in global CT per month was 1.19. Conclusions Operational utilization improved in both diagnostic radiology and IR sections following conversion of a conventional fluoroscopic IR suite to an Angio-CT room.