Radiography (London, England : 1995) · 2025
Longitudinal trends in X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound utilisation among the adult population in Ireland (2018-2023): A multi-centre study.
СтатьяМногоцентровое исследованиеНазвание и аннотация: Перевод пока не подготовлен
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O'Connor M, Stokes C, Adi P
Аннотация
INTRODUCTION: This multi-centre study investigates longitudinal trends in adult diagnostic imaging utilisation in Ireland, addressing a critical knowledge gap due to the lack of detailed national data and a focus on paediatric populations in prior research. It aims to characterise imaging use by modality, age group, and anatomical region.
METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using National Integrated Medical Imaging System data from 11 public hospitals. The dataset included over 5.2 million examinations across X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound on adult patients (≥18 years) conducted between 2018 and 2023. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, joinpoint regression, chi-squared tests, and Spearman's rank-order correlation to identify trends, inflection points, and associations between age, modality, and anatomical region.
RESULTS: X-ray remained the most utilised modality (64.9 %), but CT and MRI exhibited the largest growth, increasing by 27 % and 32.9 % respectively over the study period. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant utilisation decline in 2020, identified as a key inflection point, followed by a recovery surpassing pre-pandemic levels. CT and X-ray were primarily used in adults over 60, while MRI and ultrasound usage was more evenly distributed among middle-aged adults. Head imaging predominated for CT and MRI, abdominal and pelvic regions for ultrasound, and thoracic and extremity imaging for X-ray.
CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive multi-modality analysis of adult diagnostic imaging trends in Ireland, revealing significant recent increases in CT and MRI utilisation.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings provide essential evidence to inform healthcare policy, strategic planning, and service development to meet evolving diagnostic demands.
METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using National Integrated Medical Imaging System data from 11 public hospitals. The dataset included over 5.2 million examinations across X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound on adult patients (≥18 years) conducted between 2018 and 2023. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, joinpoint regression, chi-squared tests, and Spearman's rank-order correlation to identify trends, inflection points, and associations between age, modality, and anatomical region.
RESULTS: X-ray remained the most utilised modality (64.9 %), but CT and MRI exhibited the largest growth, increasing by 27 % and 32.9 % respectively over the study period. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant utilisation decline in 2020, identified as a key inflection point, followed by a recovery surpassing pre-pandemic levels. CT and X-ray were primarily used in adults over 60, while MRI and ultrasound usage was more evenly distributed among middle-aged adults. Head imaging predominated for CT and MRI, abdominal and pelvic regions for ultrasound, and thoracic and extremity imaging for X-ray.
CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive multi-modality analysis of adult diagnostic imaging trends in Ireland, revealing significant recent increases in CT and MRI utilisation.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings provide essential evidence to inform healthcare policy, strategic planning, and service development to meet evolving diagnostic demands.