MRI & CT usage varies across Canada, while scanner adoption jumps
The number of operational CT and MRI scanners has grown considerably during the past five years, but the numbers of the imaging studies conducted vary significantly across the Canadian provinces, according to a report released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) last week.
In 2009, the rates of MRI exams performed in Alberta (54 exams per 1,000 patients) or New Brunswick (51 per 1,000 ) were more than twice as high as those in Prince Edward Island (23 per 1,000) or Newfoundland and Labrador (24 per 1,000). The report also noted that performed CT exams saw rates of 193 per 1,000 in New Brunswick and 155 per 1,000 in Nova Scotia, compared with Prince Edward Island and British Columbia with the lowest usage rates, 104 and 106 exams per 1,000 patients, respectively.
Despite the disparities in utilization across the provinces, the number of machines is on the rise, noted CIHI. The number of operational scanners in Canada in 2009 was 266 MRI scanners and 465 CT scanners, which represents an increase of 44 MRI and 46 CT machines over two years and an increase of 70 percent in the number of MRI scanners and 36 percent in the number of CT scanners in five years.
Moreover, 80 percent of MRI and 95 percent of CT scanners were located in the hospital setting, compared with the 20 percent of MRI and 5 percent of CT scanners in free-standing clinics, the report stated.
In addition, CIHI noted disparities internationally for MRI and CT usage relative to population size. Specifically:
In 2009, the rates of MRI exams performed in Alberta (54 exams per 1,000 patients) or New Brunswick (51 per 1,000 ) were more than twice as high as those in Prince Edward Island (23 per 1,000) or Newfoundland and Labrador (24 per 1,000). The report also noted that performed CT exams saw rates of 193 per 1,000 in New Brunswick and 155 per 1,000 in Nova Scotia, compared with Prince Edward Island and British Columbia with the lowest usage rates, 104 and 106 exams per 1,000 patients, respectively.
Despite the disparities in utilization across the provinces, the number of machines is on the rise, noted CIHI. The number of operational scanners in Canada in 2009 was 266 MRI scanners and 465 CT scanners, which represents an increase of 44 MRI and 46 CT machines over two years and an increase of 70 percent in the number of MRI scanners and 36 percent in the number of CT scanners in five years.
Moreover, 80 percent of MRI and 95 percent of CT scanners were located in the hospital setting, compared with the 20 percent of MRI and 5 percent of CT scanners in free-standing clinics, the report stated.
In addition, CIHI noted disparities internationally for MRI and CT usage relative to population size. Specifically:
- In 2008-2009, the Canadian rate of MRI exams was 41 per 1,000 people, while for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, the rate varied from a low of 13 in Korea to a high of 98 in Greece.
- In 2008-2009, the Canadian rate of CT exams was 121 per 1,000 people. Among OECD countries, CT rates varied from a low of 60 in the Netherlands to a high of 321 in Greece.
- For both MRI and CT exams, the U.S. had the second-highest rate of use, at 91 per 1,000 people and 228 per 1,000, respectively.