Cost-effectiveness analysis in radiology

In the past 20 years, there has been increasing recognition of the need to consider cost in medical decision making. This period has seen an explosion in the number of economic evaluations appearing in the medical literature. Cost-effectiveness analysis is an objective systematic technique for compa ring alternative health care strategies on both cost and effectiveness simu ltaneously. Cost-effectiveness analysis can be used to inform medical decis ion makers in the establishment of clinical practice guidelines acid in the setting of health policy. Cost-effectiveness analysis is a state-of-the-ar t research tool with its own terminology and methods. It is critical that r adiologists become familiar with the concepts and procedures of cost-effect iveness analysis so they can properly evaluate cost-effectiveness analysis studies and be more knowledgeable participants in the health care decision- making process. This article explains the rationale, terminology, and metho ds of cost-effectiveness analysis as applied to radiology.