title: Are all spine MRI studies created equal? Understanding and rewarding quality.
abstract: The high incidence of failed back patients in the United States calls for a closer look at the source of the problem. In this paper I examine how variability in quality at the diagnostic stage can contribute to the problem. Although MRIs are widely perceived to be a commodity, I identify three key factors that create variability in the quality of an MRI: imaging equipment, imaging protocols, and subspecialization of the reading radiologist. To evaluate the impact of these quality variables, I am collaborating with Spreemo to run a clinical trial at Hospital for Special Surgery to determine the relationship between MRI quality measures and treatment recommendations, and ultimately patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Director of Spinal Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E. 70th St, New York, NY 10021, USA. Electronic address: herzogr@hss.edu.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Herzog
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Back Pain; MRI Quality Study; MRI Variability; Quality Measures