Effects of whole-body MRI on outpatient health service costs: a general-population prospective cohort study in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Whole-body MRI (wb-MRI) is increasingly used in research and screening but little is known about the effects of incidental findings (IFs) on health service utilisation and costs. Such effects are particularly critical in an observational study. Our principal research question was therefore how participation in a wb-MRI examination with its resemblance to a population-based health screening is associated with outpatient service costs.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

General population Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

Participants

Analyses included 5019 participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania with statutory health insurance data. 2969 took part in a wb-MRI examination in addition to a clinical examination programme that was administere

SUBMITTER: Schmidt CO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8744128 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature