The use of MRI and CT scans in US emergency departments tripled between 1998 and 2007, according to a study carried out at Johns Hopkins University.
Researchers found that patients with injury-related conditions were three times more likely to be given one of the scans in 2007 than they were in 1998.
However, the diagnosis of life-threatening conditions such as bleeding in the brain and cervical spine fractures rose only slightly during the study period.
Lead researcher Dr Frederick Korley said that the significant increase in advanced imaging without a corresponding increase in the diagnosis of life-threatening illness implied a potential amount of overuse.
It was also observed that individuals who were given an MRI or CT scan spent two hours longer in the emergency department than other patients.
