Reducing Low-Value Imaging Following Maxillofacial Trauma

Wong and colleagues 1 used a national commercial claims database to characterize choice of initial imaging for adults with maxillofacial trauma.Among 281 421 patients from 2013 to 2022, 72 125 (26%) received plain radiographs of the nose, face, or orbit as the initial imaging.Because national societies recommend computed tomography (CT) rather than radiographs when imaging is clinically indicated, the authors defined radiograph-first imaging as low-value imaging.Factors associated with receiving plain radiographs included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.47-1.54),urgent care setting (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.67-1.87),and family medicine practitioners (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.33-1.54). 1 Of those who first received plain radiographs, 3965 (6%) received a CT within 7 days, representing imaging inefficiency, and 8% of patients without an initial fracture diagnosis received one more than