Quantifying the Financial Savings of Motion Correction in Brain MRI: A Model-Based Estimate of the Costs Arising From Patient Head Motion and Potential Savings From Implementation of Motion Correction

Background: Patient head motion is a major concern in clinical brain MRI, as it reduces the diagnostic image quality and may increase examination time and cost.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of MR images with significant motion artifacts on a given clinical scanner and to estimate the potential financial cost savings of applying motion correction to clinical brain MRI examinations.

Study type: Retrospective.

Subjects: In all, 173 patients undergoing a PET/MRI dementia protocol and 55 pediatric patients undergoing a PET/MRI brain tumor protocol. The total scan time of the two protocols were 17 and 40 minutes, respectively.

Field strength/sequences: 3 T, Siemens mMR Biograph, MPRAGE, DWI, T₁ and T₂ -weighted FLAIR, T₂ -weighted 2D-FLASH, T₂ -weighted TSE.

Assessment: A retrospective review of image sequences from a given clinical MRI scanner was conducted to investigate the prevalence of motion-corrupted images. The review was performed by three radiologists with different levels of experience using a three-step semiquantitative scale to classify the quality of the images. A total of 1013 sequences distributed on 228 MRI examinations were reviewed. The potential cost savings of motion correction were estimated by a cost estimation for our country with assumptions.

Statistical test: The cost estimation was conducted with a 20% lower and upper bound on the model assumptions to include the uncertainty of the assumptions.

Results: 7.9% of the sequences had motion artifacts that decreased the interpretability, while 2.0% of the sequences had motion artifacts causing the images to be nondiagnostic. The estimated annual cost to the clinic/hospital due to patient head motion per scanner was $45,066 without pediatric examinations and $364,242 with pediatric examinations.

Data conclusion: The prevalence of a motion-corrupted image was found in 2.0% of the reviewed sequences. Based on the model, repayment periods are presented as a function of the price for applying motion correction and its performance.

Evidence level: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 6 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:731-738.