Your Donations in Action: Erin Alaia, MD
Evaluating MRI Use for Atraumatic Hip, Knee Pain in Adults 50+
As the U.S. population continues to age, older adults have become the fastest-growing diagnostic imaging users. They account for many MRI exams performed for atraumatic hip and knee pain—often to assess asymptomatic intra-articular abnormalities or to guide effective treatment.
The value of these exams is uncertain, especially when surgery doesn’t improve outcomes, raising concerns about unnecessary health care spending without delivering better care.
For her 2022 FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation/RSNA Research Seed Grant project, “Clinical Utility of Knee and Hip MRI for Atraumatic Pain in Patients Aged 50 and Older: A Comparative Effectiveness Based Analysis,” Erin Alaia, MD, associate professor of radiology and orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Health in New York City, and colleagues examined the usefulness and appropriateness of MRI for imaging painful major weightbearing hip and knee joints in patients aged 50- to 90-years of age.
Their analysis showed low MRI use for hip or knee pain in this age group, especially among those with limited health care access. A systematic review found osteoarthritis severity, not age, to be the best predictor of MRI appropriateness.
“The results of this study reinforce the idea that MRI can be appropriate in these age groups in selected situations, and that the degree of osteoarthritis rather than chronologic age is likely the best indicator of MRI appropriateness in patients with pain,” Dr. Alaia said.
The Foundation grant allowed Dr. Alaia to expand as a researcher. “I had the opportunity to lead and organize the research team, track resources and expand my knowledge in areas of research that I was less experienced with, such as large survey data research, cost-effectiveness, and systematic reviews,” she said. “I also became aware of and was greatly assisted by the resources provided by my institution which allowed for success.”
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Read our previous Your Donations in Action story.