Improving Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Scanning Efficiency: Impact on Diagnostic Image Quality and Patient Management.

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging access is bottlenecked by prolonged scan times and limited specialist availability.

PROJECT RATIONALE: We aimed to optimize clinical workflows by implementing a dual-intervention strategy including a scanner library of optimized, pathology-driven CMR scan protocols and real-time, hybrid (remote and in-person) scan supervision by an advanced imaging cardiologist. We evaluated the impact of this strategy on CMR image quality and patient management over 12 months.

PROJECT SUMMARY: Retrospective review of 499 charts (160 preintervention, 339 postintervention) revealed reduced CMR scan times by 38.6%, with median times dropping from 84.7 preintervention to 53 minutes postintervention (P < 0.001), improved diagnostic quality (24.5% preintervention vs 58.3% postintervention, P = 0.008) and increased management-impacting studies (11.3% preintervention vs 53.4% postintervention, P = 0.0001).

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: Standardizing CMR scan protocols and leveraging real-time cardiac imager oversight with remote scanning technology maximizes existing human resource capacity, improves diagnostic image quality, and has a positive impact on patient management.