Utilization trend of magnetic resonance imaging examinations in an academic emergency department and the weekend effect

Abstract

The utilization of magnetic resonance imaging in the emergency department is gradually increasing. An update is needed on how the use of magnetic resonance imaging exams in the emergency department has evolved. To reveal the magnetic resonance imaging utilization trends of the emergency department in the last five years (2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019) and whether the weekend effect affects the magnetic resonance imaging test requests of the emergency physician.Material and methods: Emergency department-ordered magnetic resonance imaging examinations were obtained from the hospital's electronic database retrospectively. Magnetic resonance imaging were grouped as abdominopelvic, neuroimaging, musculoskeletal, and others.Results: A total of 9870 magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed in the 5 years. The rate of emergency department-ordered magnetic resonance imaging tests was 2.65%. Magnetic resonance imaging for neuroimaging, including brain and spinal examinations, was the most ordered examination, with a rate of 98.8%. The average time between imaging order and acquisition was 46 minutes. No significant difference between the magnetic resonance imaging examinations and the weekend effect (p=.121). 25.85% of those who had magnetic resonance imaging examinations were hospitalized.Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging examination for neuroimaging purposes has become an emergency department routine. Other magnetic resonance imaging are ordered at a nominal rate. The acquisition of an image took an average of 46 minutes. The weekend effect does not affect the decision of the emergency physician to request a magnetic resonance imaging examination.

Acil Oftalmolojik Konsültasyonların Aciliyet, Oftalmik Patoloji ve Hafta Sonu Etkisi Açısından İrdelenmesi

“…We stated a similar result in our previous study, where we investigated the influence of weekend effect on MRI tests ordered by emergency physicians. 20 The availability of the MRI device eliminated the negative impact of the weekend phenomenon. The fact that favorable situations on weekdays can also be reached on weekends may reduce the negative effects of the weekend phenomenon and bury the weekend phenomenon in history.…”