The true cost of cardiovascular imaging: focusing on downstream, indirect, and environmental costs.

Abstract

To develop a more realistic assessment of costs, herein named "true" costs, the extra-cancer from medical radiation, environmental damage from imaging paraphernalia and radioactive wastes must be included as long-term costs from imaging examinations. It is urgent to define the "true" costs across imaging modalities as it interferes on physicians' decision to request an exam and on research projects such as cost-effectiveness analysis. Cardiology is the specialty that most will benefit from the outcome as cardiovascular exams represent almost 30% of the total exams acquired annually worldwide.

• Authors: Larissa Braga, Bruna Vinci, Carlo G Leo, Eugenio Picano
• Journal: Cardiovascular ultrasound (Cardiovasc Ultrasound) Vol. 11 Pg. 10 (Apr 17 2013) ISSN: 1476-7120 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23594829 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Topics

• Cardiovascular Diseases (diagnostic imaging, economics)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Diagnostic Imaging (economics)
• Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular (economics)
• Humans
• Ultrasonography