Comparison of Dual-Syringe and Syringeless Power Injectors in Outpatient MDCT Practice: Impact on the Operator's Performance, CT Workflow, and Operation Cost

Syringeless power injector versus dual-syringe power injector: economic evaluation of user performance, the impact on contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) workflow exams, and hospital costs

“…The patient number was not large enough to establish the long-term performance of the syringeless device, its robustness in a busy CECT practice, and any risk associated with its continued use. However, compared to similar research work,6 we enrolled a higher number of patients (2,379 compared to 275), which allows us to consolidate and confirm the favorable results of the syringeless PI with a larger sample 6. Another important limitation is the fact that the study was carried out in a single hospital; the results of our study may be, for instance, applied to other hospital settings in the regional/national area, to define and compare mean standard operation costs for CECT.…”

“…The syringeless device allows the upload of two bottles of contrast medium, up to 500 mL; a bag of saline can be uploaded separately, and a disposable sterile connecting system of the various flows is available for each patient. The dual syringe device can load two syringes containing up to 200 mL of contrast medium and saline 6. At the end of the day, a RT recorded any wastage of contrast medium incurred for each system.…”

“…In the background of these considerations, the increased number of patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) requires a review of the tools used to carry out the analysis on patients referred to the hospital, optimizing management costs, and increasing efficiency 3,4. In clinical practice, contrast enhanced CT (CECT) makes up, on average, 40% to 60% of the volume of exams carried out in an average-sized hospital;5,6 therefore, the optimal management of all steps associated with the use of the necessary tools for CECT can positively and significantly influence the efficiency of operations, monitoring the various cost components in detail 7. The syringeless power injector (CT Exprès™; Bracco Injeneering S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland) is an innovative syringeless releasing device for contrast media (CM), allowing simultaneous loading of two bottles to carry out multiple CECTs without reloading the CM during the course of the exam; this translates into greater efficiency and less wastage of the medium 6.…”

“…In clinical practice, contrast enhanced CT (CECT) makes up, on average, 40% to 60% of the volume of exams carried out in an average-sized hospital;5,6 therefore, the optimal management of all steps associated with the use of the necessary tools for CECT can positively and significantly influence the efficiency of operations, monitoring the various cost components in detail 7. The syringeless power injector (CT Exprès™; Bracco Injeneering S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland) is an innovative syringeless releasing device for contrast media (CM), allowing simultaneous loading of two bottles to carry out multiple CECTs without reloading the CM during the course of the exam; this translates into greater efficiency and less wastage of the medium 6. The purpose of the present study is to highlight, through an economic evaluation, how the use of syringeless power injectors (PIs) versus dual-syringe PIs for CECT is not only user-friendly and safe for use by the medical staff, but also allows to reduce equipment preparation time and CM releasing time, with decreased costs for the hospital.…”

We Built This House; It’s Time to Move in: Leveraging Existing DICOM Structure to More Completely Utilize Readily Available Detailed Contrast Administration Information

“…The use of contrast media that is drawn up but not utilized represents a tremendous opportunity to achieve cost savings. One study looking prospectively at consecutive contrast enhanced CT exams documented 11 mL of contrast media waste per exam, for example [4]. Another group was able to realize cost savings by using decreased volume of contrast media used by administering a higher concentration of contrast.…”