OVERSUPPLY OF CT AND MRI EQUIPMENT, BUT UNDERSUPPLY OF MAMMOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT IN JAPAN

• Published in: Value in health Vol. 20; no. 5; p. S253
• Main Author: Hamashima, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrenceville Elsevier Science Ltd 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Comparative studies; Developed countries; Magnetic resonance imaging; Mammography; Medical equipment; Medical supplies; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Women; Japan
• ISSN: 1098-3015; 1524-4733
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2017.05.005

OBJECTIVES: The OECD has reported an oversupply of CT and MRI equipment in Japan compared with other developed countries. We investigated current situation of CT and MRI equipment compared with that of mammography equipment in Japan. METHODS: We compared the 1) trend in the total numbers of CT and MRI equipment and examinations with the total numbers of mammography equipment and examinations using data from the Medical Institution Survey in Japan, and 2) the total numbers of CT, MRI, and mammography examinations per 100,000 individuals (women for mammography). RESULTS: The total numbers of CT and MRI equipment and examinations have increased over the last decade. Compared with the total numbers in 1996, the numbers of CT and MRI equipment have increased 1.4 and 2.5 times, respectively. The total numbers of examinations was 5.8 times for CT and 10.3 times for MRI. From 2008 to 2011, the total numbers of mammography equipment and examinations increased by 10% (the national data before 2005 could not be obtained). The national average number of equipment per 100,000 individuals was 6.2 for mammography, 10.2 for CT, and 4.7 for MRI. The national average number of examinations per 100,000 individuals was 7,983 for mammography, 22,464 for CT, and 10,627 for MRI. In all the 46 prefectures (excluding Fukushima), the numbers of equipment and examinations per 100,000 individuals were always higher for CT than for mammography. The number of MRI equipment per 100,000 individuals was higher than that of mammography equipment in 9 prefectures. The number of MRI examinations per 100,000 individuals was lower in 9 prefectures than that of mammography examinations. CONCLUSIONS: CT and MRI examinations have increasingly been performed in Japan compared with mammography examinations. Notably, the supply of mammography equipment has not markedly increased compared with the supply of CT and MRI equipment.