Academic Journal
Choosing wisely in neuroradiology: evaluating CT and MR utilization trends in Europe.
| Title: | Choosing wisely in neuroradiology: evaluating CT and MR utilization trends in Europe. |
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| Authors: | Brosnan C; Department of Neuroradiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. conorbrosnan@rcsi.ie., Rossi A; Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.; Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy., van der Hoorn A; Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands., Due-Tønnessen P; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway., Looby S; Department of Neuroradiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. |
| Corporate Authors: | ESNR Choosing Wisely Committee |
| Source: | European radiology [Eur Radiol] 2026 Aug; Vol. 36 (8), pp. 6589-6598. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 12. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Systematic Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Springer International Country of Publication: Germany NLM ID: 9114774 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1432-1084 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09387994 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Eur Radiol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Berlin : Springer International, c1991- |
| MeSH Terms: | Tomography, X-Ray Computed*/statistics & numerical data , Tomography, X-Ray Computed*/trends , Magnetic Resonance Imaging*/statistics & numerical data , Magnetic Resonance Imaging*/trends , Neuroimaging*/trends , Neuroimaging*/statistics & numerical data, Europe ; Humans |
| Abstract: | Objectives: To assess trends in volume and utilization of neuroimaging (CT and MR) across Europe over the last decade, within the context of evolving clinical practice on behalf of the European Society of Neuroradiology's Choosing Wisely committee. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of PubMed was performed (following PRISMA 2020 guidelines) to identify studies reporting European neuroimaging volumes. As no eligible studies were identified, descriptive analysis of Eurostat and OECD data was performed for 29 European countries from 2015 to 2022, covering CT and MR examination volumes and scanner availability per 100,000 population across four geographic regions (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Europe). Total CT/MR volumes served as neuroimaging surrogates. Results: 316 publications were identified (with none meeting predefined inclusion criteria). Eurostat data from 29 countries revealed substantial growth in imaging from 2015 to 2022. Per capita CT exam rates increased 40.8% (10,872 to 15,312 per 100,000 population), and MR scan rates increased 43.5% (5746 to 8244 per 100,000 population). Scanner availability also increased (CT scanners from 2.3 to 2.68, MR scanners from 1.43 to 2.11 per 100,000 population). Regional variations were evident: Western Europe showed the highest utilization rates, Eastern Europe demonstrated the largest relative growth despite lower absolute numbers. All regions experienced consistent growth except during the 2020 COVID-19 disruptions. Conclusion: Neuroimaging utilization has substantially increased across Europe from 2015 to 2022, with disproportionate growth in scan volumes relative to scanner availability. These findings highlight regional disparities in utilization and underscore the need for coordinated evidence-based appropriateness initiatives to support sustainable neuroimaging practice. Key Points: Question Have CT and MR neuroimaging utilization rates changed across Europe over the last decade compared to scanner availability? Findings CT and MR scan rates increased 40.8% and 43.5%, respectively, from 2015 to 2022, reflecting increased per-scanner utilization across the continent. Clinical relevance Neuroimaging examination volumes increased substantially across Europe from 2015 to 2022. This highlights the value of evidence-based imaging appropriateness initiatives to ensure sustainable healthcare resource utilization. (© 2026. The Author(s).) |
| Competing Interests: | Compliance with ethical standards. Guarantor: The scientific guarantor of this publication is Conor Brosnan. Conflict of interest: The authors of this manuscript declare relationships with the following companies: A.V.D.H.—Expert fees from Servier and Quantitas solution. All authors are active members of the European Society of Neuroradiology. Statistics and biometry: No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Informed consent: N/A. Ethical approval: Institutional Review Board approval was not required because this is a retrospective study of anonymized European-wide data. Study subjects or cohorts overlap: N/A. Methodology: Methodology Retrospective |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Investigator: P Due-Tønnessen; A van der Hoorn; S Looby Keywords: Europe; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging; Tomography (X-ray computed); Utilization |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260513 Date Completed: 20260707 Latest Revision: 20260813 |
| Update Code: | 20260813 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13342327 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00330-026-12528-1 |
| PMID: | 42126431 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1432-1084 |
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| DOI: | 10.1007/s00330-026-12528-1 |