SPI Medical Imaging: Medical Imaging Spend Study Defies Expectations

Medical imaging is commonly perceived as one of the main drivers of the growth of spending in healthcare in the US, however the results of a new study, released in late March, suggest that this blame may be misplaced.

The study aimed to evaluate changes in spending on imaging relative to other medical services, using a large insurance claims database to examine imaging spending trends in the ESI population between 2010 and 2021. The results demonstrate that, despite prevailing expectations, imaging spending decreased as a share of all health care spending and relative to inflation, suggesting that providers may need to reevaluate their priorities.