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Multicenter Study
. 2021 Dec;107(24):1974-1979.
doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2020-318667. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Regional variation in cardiovascular magnetic resonance service delivery across the UK

Niall G Keenan  1   2 , Gabriella Captur  3   4 , Gerry P McCann  5   6 , Colin Berry  7   8 , Saul G Myerson  9 , Timothy Fairbairn  10 , Lucy Hudsmith  11 , Declan P O'Regan  2 , Mark Westwood  12 , John P Greenwood  13   14
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Regional variation in cardiovascular magnetic resonance service delivery across the UK

Niall G Keenan et al. Heart. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: To examine service provision in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in the UK. Equitable access to diagnostic imaging is important in healthcare. CMR is widely available in the UK, but there may be regional variations.

Methods: An electronic survey was sent by the British Society of CMR to the service leads of all CMR units in the UK in 2019 requesting data from 2017 and 2018. Responses were analysed by region and interpreted alongside population statistics.

Results: The survey response rate was 100% (82 units). 100 386 clinical scans were performed in 2017 and 114 967 in 2018 (15% 1-year increase; 5-fold 10-year increase compared with 2008 data). In 2018, there were 1731 CMR scans/million population overall, with significant regional variation, for example, 4256 scans/million in London vs 396 scans/million in Wales. Median number of clinical scans per unit was 780, IQR 373-1951, range 98-10 000, with wide variation in mean waiting times (median 41 days, IQR 30-49, range 5-180); median 25 days in London vs 180 days in Northern Ireland). Twenty-five units (30%) reported mean elective waiting times in excess of 6 weeks, and 8 (10%) ≥3 months. There were 351 consultants reporting CMR, of whom 230 (66%) were cardiologists and 121 (34%) radiologists; 81% of units offered a CMR service for patients with pacemakers and defibrillators.

Conclusions: This survey provides a unique, contemporary insight into national CMR delivery with 100% centre engagement. The 10-year growth in CMR usage at fivefold has been remarkable but heterogeneous across the UK, with some regions still reporting low usage or long waiting times which may be of clinical concern.

Keywords: delivery of health care; health care economics and organizations; magnetic resonance imaging.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Map showing number of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans per million population by UK region in 2018. (B) Map showing median outpatient waiting time for CMR by UK region (days).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Number of scans by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) unit in 2018 (black bars). Data for 2013 are shown in blue for comparison. The units are ranked by volume for each year with no linkage between 2013 and 2018 data. (B) Outpatient waiting times for CMR by unit (days).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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