Effect of restrictive criteria on the use of emergency lumbosacral radiography

A prospective study were performed to determine the effect of restrictive criteria on the use of emergency lumbosacral radiography. All studies required completion of a form which listed two criteria-trauma and evidence of acute neurologic abnormality. For other indications, lumbosacral radiography required attending physician approval. In the experimental year, 759 examinations were done, a decrease of 49.2% from the previous year. The percentage of positive studies increased from 4.9% to 5.8%. The use of emergency myelography and spine CT remains unchanged. These results suggest that the imposition of restrictive criteria can limit unnecessary emergency lumbosacral spine radiography without impairing quality of care