CHANGES IN DIAGNOSTIC-IMAGING ROUTINES OF THE STOMACH AND THE LARGE-BOWEL DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1975 AND 1992

In a retrospective study on diagnostic imaging of the stomach and larg e bowel, we evaluated the examination routines in six Norwegian hospit als for the period between 1975 and 1992. For both organ systems, a sh ift in routines from radiological examination toward endoscopy was obs erved. For the stomach there, was a significant correlation between an increase in the use of endoscopy and a decrease in the use of X-ray e xaminations, Additionally, the total number of stem ach examinations h ad declined. For the large bowel, the total number of endoscopic and r adiological examinations had increased for all hospitals studied. Whil e not as prominent as for the stomach, an obvious shift from X-ray exa minations toward endoscopy was observed. These results should be consi dered when planning new imaging departments and hospitals in Norway.