Physician Self-Referral of Lumbar Spine MRI With Comparative Analysis of Negative Study Rates as a Marker of Utilization Appropriateness

Abstract

Lumbar spine MRI examinations referred by the financial-interest group were significantly more likely to be negative than those referred by the no-financial-interest group. Lesion frequency among positive scans suggests similar severity of disease between the two patient populations. Patients imaged by the financial-interest group were significantly younger than those imaged by the no-financial-interest group.