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Puhr-Westerheide D, Froelich MF, Solyanik O, Gresser E, Reidler P, Fabritius MP, Klein M, Dimitriadis K, Ricke J, Cyran CC, Kunz WG, Kazmierczak PM. Cost-effectiveness of short-protocol emergency brain MRI after negative non-contrast CT for minor stroke detection. Eur Radiol 2021; 32:1117-1126. [PMID: 34455484 PMCID: PMC8794930 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-021-08222-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To investigate the cost-effectiveness of supplemental short-protocol brain MRI after negative non-contrast CT for the detection of minor strokes in emergency patients with mild and unspecific neurological symptoms. Methods The economic evaluation was centered around a prospective single-center diagnostic accuracy study validating the use of short-protocol brain MRI in the emergency setting. A decision-analytic Markov model distinguished the strategies “no additional imaging” and “additional short-protocol MRI” for evaluation. Minor stroke was assumed to be missed in the initial evaluation in 40% of patients without short-protocol MRI. Specialized post-stroke care with immediate secondary prophylaxis was assumed for patients with detected minor stroke. Utilities and quality-of-life measures were estimated as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Input parameters were obtained from the literature. The Markov model simulated a follow-up period of up to 30 years. Willingness to pay was set to $100,000 per QALY. Cost-effectiveness was calculated and deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed. Results Additional short-protocol MRI was the dominant strategy with overall costs of $26,304 (CT only: $27,109). Cumulative calculated effectiveness in the CT-only group was 14.25 QALYs (short-protocol MRI group: 14.31 QALYs). In the deterministic sensitivity analysis, additional short-protocol MRI remained the dominant strategy in all investigated ranges. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis results from the base case analysis were confirmed, and additional short-protocol MRI resulted in lower costs and higher effectiveness. Conclusion Additional short-protocol MRI in emergency patients with mild and unspecific neurological symptoms enables timely secondary prophylaxis through detection of minor strokes, resulting in lower costs and higher cumulative QALYs. Key Points • Short-protocol brain MRI after negative head CT in selected emergency patients with mild and unspecific neurological symptoms allows for timely detection of minor strokes. • This strategy supports clinical decision-making with regard to immediate initiation of secondary prophylactic treatment, potentially preventing subsequent major strokes with associated high costs and reduced QALY. • According to the Markov model, additional short-protocol MRI remained the dominant strategy over wide variations of input parameters, even when assuming disproportionally high costs of the supplemental MRI scan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Puhr-Westerheide
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - Matthias F Froelich
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Olga Solyanik
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Eva Gresser
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Reidler
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias P Fabritius
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Klein
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Konstantin Dimitriadis
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jens Ricke
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Clemens C Cyran
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang G Kunz
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp M Kazmierczak
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
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