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

Abstract

Aim: The utilization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the emergency department (ED) is gradually increasing. An update is needed on how the use of MRI exams in the ED has evolved. To reveal the MRI utilization trends of the ED in the last five years (2015-2019) and whether the weekend effect affects the MRI test requests of the emergency physician. Methods: ED-ordered MRI examinations were obtained from the hospital’s electronic database retrospectively. MRIs were grouped as abdominopelvic, neuroimaging, musculoskeletal, and others. Results: A total of 9870 MRI examinations were performed in the 5 years. The rate of ED-ordered MRI tests was 2.65%. MRI 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 MRI examinations and the weekend effect (p=.121). 25.85% of those who had MRI examinations were hospitalized. Conclusions: MRI examination for neuroimaging purposes has become an ED routine. Other MRIs 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 an MRI examination.  

Keywords

• emergency department
• examination
• magnetic resonance imaging
• utilization
• weekend