title: COLLABORADI: a rule-based diagnostic imaging prescription system to help the general practitioner to choose the most appropriate radiological imaging procedures.
abstract: Significant advances in medical imaging have been made in the past decades, enabling physicians to reach high precision in diagnosing patients' diseases by means of sophisticated imaging tools. However, the use of sophisticated tools is limited by the high costs and, in some cases, by the utilization of ionizing radiation, which have both great impact on the economy of a nation and on citizens' health, respectively. Guidelines have been published among countries to provide physicians with structured rules to be followed to suggest the correct imaging technique, suiting better the diagnostic question and avoiding inappropriate imaging requests. The COLLABORADI is a research project that addressed the phenomenon of inappropriate imaging prescriptions in Sicily (Italy) and proposed the design and implementation of a clinical decision support system to help physicians to set up the most appropriate diagnostic route for their patients. The aim of this paper is to describe the characteristics of the COLLABORADI software and its potential impact in diminishing inappropriate imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, San Vincenzo Hospital-Taormina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Romeo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9086-8051
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Placido
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calcaterra
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canitano
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Syracuse, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capodieci
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Modica
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphologic and Functional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario G.Martino, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, Località Gazzi, 98124, Messina, ME, Italy. mariaadele.marino@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Adele
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Belcolle Hospital, Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pofi
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tomarchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiological Sciences and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orlacchio
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D058006:General Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D011859:Radiography / Q000592:standards*; D012802:Sicily; D012984:Software; D012985:Software Design; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures
keywords: Clinical guidelines; Diagnostic Imaging; Rule-based system; Support decision system