Thursday, February 25, 2010 The annual complication, "Health,
United States, 2009," is published by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. The 574-page document reports that one
of the biggest transformations in American health care has been
the use of technology, especially imaging tests. MRI, CT and PET
scans were ordered in 14 percent of emergency room visits in
2007, compared to less than 4 percent in 1996. The CDC uses the
most recent data available to offer a snapshot of American
wellness. For 2009, the CDC used information from '06-'07.
Advances in technology are lengthening lifespans, but some
experts say the quality of life isn't improving because people
continue to have poor diet and exercise habits. Here, a hospital
worker prepares a patient for an MRI. The study offers several
reasons to explain the increased use of technology. Machines are
more readily available and more effective than they were in the
1990s. But they remain expensive: A single scan costs upwards of
$500. And safety haza