Impact of written information consent on the number of intravenous contrast--enhanced CT and MR studies.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of written informed consent on the number of intravenous contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies.


METHODS
On December 2002, the Conference of Physicians and Medical Directors in our institution decided that all referring physicians must obtain written informed consent in each case before intravenous injection of contrast material for CT and MR imaging studies. The numbers and proportions of contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies before introduction of the written informed consent requirement (January 2002-December 2002) were compared with those after (January 2003-December 2003).


RESULTS
The number of contrast-enhanced CT studies decreased from 5930 (50.6% of all CT studies) to 5539 (49.0% of all CT studies) (odd ratio [OR]: 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-0.99). The number of contrast-enhanced MR studies also decreased from 1895 (46.5% of all MR studies) to 1712 (43.4% of all MR studies) (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that the written informed consent requirement reduces the number of intravenous contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies.
Hama
Yukihiro
Y
Department of Radiology, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan. yjhama2005@yahoo.co.jp
Sakurai
Yutaka
Y
Kosuda
Shigeru
S
D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007564:Japan; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D003287:Contrast Media