Changing Abdominal Imaging Utilization Patterns: Perspectives From Medicare Beneficiaries Over Two Decades.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Abdominal imaging is crucial for diagnosing various conditions.
• Understanding utilization trends informs resource allocation and healthcare policy.
• Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries represent a significant patient population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in abdominal imaging modality utilization.
• To examine trends over a two-decade period (1994-2012).
• To assess the role of radiologists in providing these services.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Medicare Physician Supplier Procedure Summary master files (1994-2012).
• Analyzed frequency and utilization rates per 1,000 beneficiaries.
• Compared utilization of CT, MRI, ultrasound, and radiography.

Main Results:

• Most frequent modality shifted from radiography to CT.
• Significant utilization increases observed for MRI (1037.5%), CT (197.0%), and ultrasound (38.0%).
• Dramatic decreases in gastrointestinal fluoroscopic and urologic radiographic examinations were noted.

Conclusions:

• Medicare abdominal imaging utilization has significantly evolved.
• CT and MRI utilization surged, while fluoroscopic and radiographic exams declined.
• Radiologists maintained a dominant provider role across all abdominal imaging modalities.