Study: Medical imaging increases U.S. life expectancy

HealthImaging.com reports: Study: Medical imaging increases U.S. life expectancy:

Increased utilization of advanced medical imaging has improved the life expectancy of patients in the United States by nearly nine months, according to a study released this month from the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

The study, led by Columbia University economics professor Frank Lichtenberg, PhD, sought to determine the reach and effect of certain variables on U.S. life expectancy from 1991 to 2004: the effect of the quality of medical care, behavioral risk factors (obesity, smoking, AIDS incidence), and other variables (education, income and health insurance coverage) on life expectancy.  In determining the quality of medical care, Lichtenberg evaluated average quality of diagnostic imaging procedures, average quality of practicing physicians and the mean vintage (FDA approval year) of outpatient and inpatient prescription drugs.

Wow, excellent.  And increased adoption of new modalities like digital pathology will increase life expectancy even more...