Physician Self-Referral and Imaging Use Appropriateness: Negative Cervical Spine MRI Frequency as an Assessment Metric

Abstract

Cervical spine MRIs referred by physicians with a financial interest in the imaging equipment used were significantly more likely to have negative findings. There was otherwise a highly similar distribution and severity of disease between the 2 patient samples. Patients in the financial interest group were more likely to undergo concomitant shoulder MR imaging.