SynthesisEuropean radiology2025
Impact and effect of imaging referral guidelines on patients and radiology services: a systematic review.
Synthesis in European radiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed.
- Variations in general practitioners' referrals to low-value MRI examinations in Norway: A nationwide register-based study.The European journal of general practice · 2026Article
- Association between radiological CDSS availability and quality of imaging referrals graded using RI-RADS.iScience · 2026Article
- Cultural bias in large language models' ability to follow neuroradiology guidelines.European radiology · 2026Article
- Diagnostic Radiographers' Application of the Radiation Protection Principles of Justification, Optimisation and Dose Limits in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.Journal of medical radiation sciences · 2026Article
- A Simulation-Based Diagnostic Stewardship Framework for Imaging Utilization in Primary Care: A Model Using 100 Common Clinical Conditions.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Justification of Imaging Referrals: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Referring Physicians' Knowledge, Practices, and Barriers.AJPM focus · 2026Article
- Radiology appointment management in German hospitals: a survey of referring physicians.Insights into imaging · 2026Article
- Adherence to Diagnostic Imaging Pathways for Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments With Undifferentiated Acute Abdominal Pain: Impact on Radiation Exposure and Multiple Imaging Testing.Journal of medical radiation sciences · 2026Article
- Determinants and strategies for implementing guideline-adherent physiotherapy: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Exploratory associations between radiographic findings and metadata-derived proxies of 90-day follow-up in 112,120 ChestX-ray14 radiographs.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Imaging requests for acute abdominal pain in the emergency department: a retrospective cross-sectional study.Emergency radiology · 2025Article
- Incomplete Radiology Requests Are the Norm: A Quality Audit at a Moroccan Tertiary Hospital.Cureus · 2025Article
- Diagnostic yield of multiple X-ray imaging requests of lower limb extremities.The British journal of radiology · 2025Article
- Positivity rates and subsequent patient dispositions after utilisation of cervical spine imaging referral guidelines in Singapore.Insights into imaging · 2025Article
- Implementation of a multicomponent intervention including clinical decision support (CDS), e-course and feedback to improve general practitioners' radiology referrals: a feasibility study and study protocol.BMJ open quality · 2025Article
- AI solutions to the radiology workforce shortage.npj health systems · 2025Review
- Assessing context and readiness of emergency medicine physicians to promote evidence-based imaging referral guidelines: a mixed-methods study.Translational behavioral medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- Artificial Intelligence Integrated with Intraoral Digital Imaging in Dental Caries Detection, Treatment Planning, and Clinical Decision-Making: A Scoping Review.F1000Research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThe objective of this systematic review was to offer a comprehensive overview and explore the associated outcomes from imaging referral guidelines on various key stakeholders, such as patients and radiologists. MATERIALS AND
methodsAn electronic database search was conducted in Medline, Embase and Web of Science to retrieve citations published between 2013 and 2023. The search was constructed using medical subject headings and keywords. Only full-text articles and reviews written in English were included. The quality of the included papers was assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool. A narrative synthesis was undertaken for the selected articles.
resultsThe search yielded 4384 records. Following the abstract, full-text screening, and removal of duplication, 31 studies of varying levels of quality were included in the final analysis. Imaging referral guidelines from the American College of Radiology were most commonly used. Clinical decision support systems were the most evaluated mode of intervention, either integrated or standalone. Interventions showed reduced patient radiation doses and waiting times for imaging. There was a general reduction in radiology workload and utilisation of diagnostic imaging. Low-value imaging utilisation decreased with an increase in the appropriateness of imaging referrals and ratings and cost savings. Clinical effectiveness was maintained during the intervention period without notable adverse consequences.
conclusionUsing evidence-based imaging referral guidelines improves the quality of healthcare and outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. Imaging referral guidelines are one essential component of improving the value of radiology in the healthcare system. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: There is a need for broader dissemination of imaging referral guidelines to healthcare providers globally in tandem with the harmonisation of the application of these guidelines to improve the overall value of radiology within the healthcare system. KEY POINTS: The application of imaging referral guidelines has an impact and effect on patients, radiologists, and health policymakers. The adoption of imaging referral guidelines in clinical practice can impact healthcare costs and improve healthcare quality and outcomes. Implementing imaging referral guidelines contributes to the attainment of value-based radiology.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.