[Imaging of the spine: cost-efficiency]

Despite the introduction 30 years ago of the CT scan and more recently of the MRI, the number of plain radiographs of the spine showed very little erosion during the last decade in Belgium. The reasons can be understood and found some good or false explanations. CT scanner is much more irradiating than plain radiographs. However it gives to the clinician much more relevant information considering the diagnosis and the medical outcome of the patient. MRI, which is equivalent to CT scan in terms of information, had, until now, very little access for the patients, with some delays up to 7 weeks. Moreover, the general idea in the perscriptor's mind and among the patients is that the price of the modern examinations (i.e. CT scan and MRI) are much higher than plain radiograph, which is in some way, correct, but perhaps in a smaller account than imagined. The precise indications of all these examinations have been published in 2004 either in Europe and Belgium. However the information about these guidelines among the general practitioners and specialists was not perfectly done. We will see that, by following these guidelines, a substantial drop off the prices can be obtained without decreasing the efficiency of the diagnostic tools and of the medical outcome of our patients.