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Biomedical subjects

D A Gift

Publications and source records attributed to D A Gift.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Deployment and utilization of MR imaging in Michigan: observations of a statewide data base.

Patterns of deployment and utilization of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were studied with a Michigan Department of Public Health data base containing data regarding more than 218,000 patient visits. Michigan currently has 16 hospital-based fixed MR systems (magnets), 14 (13 operational) freestanding fixed magnets, and 11 (10 operational) mobile magnets operating at 45 host sites. The imaging volume for 1991 was approximately 127,000 procedures, with associated charges of $126,500,000. Central nervous system imaging accounted for 82.6% of procedure volume, with extremities accounting for another 12.9%. The average total charge per procedure ranged from $844 to $1,076, and the average professional charge per procedure ranged from $178 to $226. The annual throughput ranged from 1,356 to 7,480 procedures per magnet. Wide variation in many measures was observed both within and among hospital-based, freestanding, and mobile facility types. The use of computed tomography (CT) before MR imaging for the same diagnostic problem continues to be substantial (average, 44% for MR imaging of the head). Patterns of inpatient imaging and prior use of CT indicate that the technical benefit of mobile MR imaging should be investigated further.

Ambulatory Care

Prospects for the future: magnetic resonance fast scanning and flow quantitation.

High-speed scanning techniques are quickly emerging to provide new applications in the MRI domain. These potential applications range from the reduction of patient examination time to the functional imaging of human cognition. Additionally, flow quantitation is rapidly developing into a clinical diagnostic tool available for routine use. This article provides the concepts to acquire a rudimentary understanding of both topics.

Artifacts

Introduction to magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important diagnostic tool with a wide variety of clinical applications. This article provides a qualitative description of physical principles of MRI fundamental to an appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of this complex technology. The same physical principles are used to explain the appearance of the images and the ability of MRI to provide spectroscopic data. Contrast agents, types of MRI equipment, and the safety of MRI in carrying out patient population goals are discussed. This article provides background knowledge for two subsequent articles which cover clinical application of MRI in greater detail.

Humans

Application of an information-theoretic method for efficacy assessment.

An information-theoretic pattern recognition method was used to construct descriptive models of data related to 1,674 radioisotope lung scan referrals for the purpose of assessing lung scan influence on diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism. It was observed that, relative to other clinical information available prior to the scan, the lung scan significantly improved the ability of the models to predict diagnostic and management outcomes, implying that the lung scan has significant influence on these clinical decisions.

Humans

Employment-related administrative roentgenograms: characteristics of policy formulation and current practice.

A significant proportion of diagnostic medical procedures are used in response to public or private policy rather than in response to an individual patient-physician interaction. We have studied the system whereby such policies are developed and implemented in the case of employment-related chest and lumbar spine roentgenograms, which were found to account for about 11% of the total use of diagnostic radiographs in the state of Michigan. We observed that factors influencing formulation of policy are diverse and largely nonmedical, organizational policies developed in similar environments are often very dissimilar and are highly subject to external influence, and perceptions of policy success and examination utility are typically subjective and uncertain. It is concluded that considerable opportunity exists to enhance the efficacy of such radiographic examinations through leverage provided by their policy-driven nature.

Humans