Oncological care process characteristics in Hungary: A longitudinal study

The efficient usage of modern imaging modalities is crucial for the success of oncological health care. Among such modalities, PET/CT is regarded as the most sophisticated though expensive procedure. The paper presents the first result of our study on 12 years' oncological case data with a focus on PET/CT. We defined and computed various process indicator variables related to PET/CT procedures like the confirmation, investigation and indication level and regional characteristics, and analyzed their reginal and temporal variations. We found that there is much to be done to align the current practice of oncological care with the newly published national guidelines for PET/CT referral.