The economics of high-technology medical imaging

The field of high-technology medical imaging equipment and methods have recently received undue negative attention in the battle against sharply increasing health-care costs. This article identifies numerous imaging methods and examines the field's vulnerable areas such as high capital equipment costs and subsequent high operating costs. Comparison is drawn between the cost of high-tech medical imaging and the total cost of health care. The multiple benefits of medical imaging to the practice of medicine in relation to its total cost are also discussed. Evidence is presented to support the view of Dr. D. MacEwan, former president of the Radiological Society of North America: "High-technology imaging devices do not have to increase the cost of health care and can actually save money if passed judiciously." This conclusion was reached from a 13-year study examining the health-care records of more than one million Manitobans.