ABSTRACT
The cost of medical care is a serious concern in the industrialized world, threatening the financial security of individuals, businesses, and even countries. Cost-Effectiveness (CE) analysis is the accepted approach to judging the relative value of healthcare costs. Optimal diagnosis begins with an accurate diagnosis. Cost-effective diagnosis achieves accuracy with an efficient use of resources and avoids the pitfalls of unnecessary testing. The goal of marrying accuracy with efficiency achieves optimal outcomes in a financially responsible manner. The goal may be to improve the cost of healthcare and diagnosis, but ultimately improving the science of diagnosis may improve both quality and cost. The price of healthcare expenditure for diagnosis does not necessarily equate to quality of care or outcome. Excess use of advanced imaging technology accounts for much of the high cost of diagnostics.
