Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30900132›Full record

ArticleLa Radiologia medica2019

Overdiagnosis and overimaging: an ethical issue for radiological protection.

Sergio Salerno, Andrea Laghi, Marie-Claire Cantone, Paolo Sartori, Antonio Pinto, Guy Frija

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in La Radiologia medica, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 44 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Rating the Efficacy of Diagnostic Imaging Studies Conducted for the Workup of Musculoskeletal Tumors.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Clinical Application of Ultra-High-Frequency Ultrasound.Journal of personalized medicine · 2022
    Review
  13. Observational
  14. Article
  15. Current Standards for and Clinical Impact of Emergency Radiology in Major Trauma.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Review
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Sergio SalernoDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Palermo, Policlinico Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. sergio.salerno@unipa.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1020-3437
Andrea LaghiDepartment of Surgical and Medical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sant'Andrea University Hospital, Sapienza-University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189, Rome, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3091-7819
Marie-Claire CantoneDepartment of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133, Milan, Italy.
Paolo SartoriDepartment of Radiology, SS Giovanni e Paolo Hospital, Castello 6777, 30122, Venice, Italy.
Antonio PintoDepartment of Radiology, CTO Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli, Naples, Italy.
Guy FrijaDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology, Hopital Européen Georges Pompidou Paris APHP, Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France.
CTO Hospital · ITOspedale San Paolo · ITSapienza University of Rome · ITUniversité Paris Cité · FRUniversity of Milan · ITUniversity of Palermo · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

AIMS AND

objectivesThis study aimed to analyse the key factors that influence the overimaging using X-ray such as self-referral, defensive medicine and duplicate imaging studies and to emphasize the ethical problem that derives from it. MATERIALS AND

methodsIn this study, we focused on the more frequent sources of overdiagnosis such as the total-body CT, proposed in the form of screening in both public and private sector, the choice of the most sensitive test for each pathology such as pulmonary embolism, ultrasound investigations mostly of the thyroid and of the prostate and MR examinations, especially of the musculoskeletal system.

resultsThe direct follow of overdiagnosis and overimaging is the increase in the risk of contrast media infusion, radiant damage, and costs in the worldwide healthcare system. The theme of the costs of overdiagnosis is strongly related to inappropriate or poorly appropriate imaging examination.

conclusionsWe underline the ethical imperatives of trust and right conduct, because the major ethical problems in radiology emerge in the justification of medical exposures of patients in the practice. A close cooperation and collaboration across all the physicians responsible for patient care in requiring imaging examination is also important, balancing possible ionizing radiation disadvantages and patient benefits in terms of care.

Indexed as

Medical OveruseRadiation ProtectionBioethical IssuesContrast MediaDefensive MedicineHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMalePhysician Self-ReferralProstateRadiation ExposureRadiologySensitivity and SpecificityThyroid GlandWhole Body ImagingContrast MediaEthicsOverdiagnosisOverimagingRadiation protection

Identifiers

PMID30900132
OpenAlexW2922615765

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.