title: PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT in single vs. two separate sessions: a cost analysis study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the study was to quantify the economic impact of PET/CT and contrast enhanced (c.e.) CT performed in a single session examination vs. stand-alone modalities in oncological patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-forty-five cancer patients referred to both PET/CT and c.e. CT, to either stage (N.=46) or re-stage (N.=99) the disease, were included. Seventy-two/145 performed both studies in a single session (innovative method) and 73/145 in two different sessions (traditional method). The cost-minimization analysis was performed by evaluating: 1) institutional costs, data obtained by hospital accountability (staff, medical materials, equipment maintenance and depreciation, departments utilities); 2) patients costs, data obtained by a specific survey provided to patients (travel, food, accommodation costs, productivity loss).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Economic data analysis showed that the costs for innovative method was lower than those of traditional method, both for Institution (106 € less per test) and for patient (21 € less per patient). The loss of productivity for patient and caregivers resulted lower for the innovative method than the traditional method (3 work-hour less per person).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET/CT and c.e. CT performed in a single session is more cost-effective than stand-alone modalities, by reducing both Institutional and patients costs. These advantages are mainly due to lower Institutional cost (single procedure) and to lower cost related to travel and housing.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picchio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mansueto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crivellaro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arosio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sironi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianolli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000191:economics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media