Diagnosis of meningeoma - A comparison of costs before CT, during CT and after introduction of MR imaging

Objective: To assess whether the capital investment required by advances in radiological technology is offset by savings in the direct costs of diagno stic services. Material and Methods: Meningeoma was used as an indicator case. All meninge oma patients from three study periods were included: Twenty patients in 197 6-77 before the introduction of CT, 22 patients in 1984-85 when CT was used and 16 patients in 1992 when MR imaging had replaced CT as the most inform ative imaging modality. Radiological and other diagnostic investigations, a nd the hospital stay were identified and cost analyzed. Results: The costs of radiological examinations increased from 293 Euros in 1976-77 to 513 Euros in 1992. The average number of diagnostic examination s per patient decreased from 5.1 in 1976-77 to 2.4 in 1992. The length of h ospital stay decreased from 11.5 to 2.7 days and the total costs of the dia gnostic workup decreased to one-third of the original, i.e. from 3423 Euros in 1976-77 to 1282 Euros in 1992. Conclusion: The costs of the radiological examinations rose, but the develo pment of radiological technology simplified the diagnostic practice. The ho spital stay drastically decreased. The total costs of diagnostic work-up pe r patient dropped to one-third of the baseline costs.