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Julie Appleby The Case Of CT Angiography: How Americans View And Embrace New Technology Health Affairs, November/December 2008; 27(6): 1515-1521. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF] [Reprints & Permissions]

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Anecdotal Approach To Promoting CT Use

Dr.Parthasarathy KS   ( 4 December 2008 )

Anecdotal Approach To Promoting CT Use 4 December 2008
Dr.Parthasarathy KS, Raja Ramanna Fellow Department of Atomic Energy, INDIA Send comment to journal: Re: Anecdotal Approach To Promoting CT Use ksparth{at}yahoo.co.uk Dr.Parthasarathy KS	Julie Appleby aptly summarized the controversies surrounding the use of CT angiography. An industry-driven medical imaging saga started in India when private hospitals owning multi-slice CT scanners started advertising their capabilities in daily newspapers. A Mumbai daily published a colorful advertisement: "Know in time," the heading splashed in bold letters. "Heart study in 8 seconds." According to another advertisement in another daily: "Now discovering the state of your heart vessels is as quick and easy as having a cup of tea." As this CT procedure is "non-surgical," a regular check-up of the heart is possible, the first advertisement assured the reader. The center invited patients with some universal risk factors such as "stress" and "erratic life style (long working hours, pressure and the like)" for the test. As any city dweller may suffer from any one or more of the listed risk factors, the advertisement aims at mass screening of asymptomatic persons. Recently, I found that a private clinic effectively used the anecdotal approach -- a letter written by a member of the faculty of a reputed medical research institute -- to promote CT screening of patients. He pleaded ignorance when I brought it to his notice. The colorfully produced FAQ from the clinic contained many unsubstantiated claims. India probably has more rich "worried well" people than many advanced countries to keep self-referred programmes of CT or other schemes of doubtful clinical benefit running perpetually.