Table 2 Mean number of diagnostic tests prescribed in the periods Before and After the availability of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Variables | Before-PET period (n = 112) | After-PET period (n = 250) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | p | Mean (SD) | p | |
Patients | ||||
Age (in classes) | ||||
< 65 years | 3.8 (3.2) | 0.6 | 3.5 (2.5) | 0.04 |
≥ 65 years | 4.7 (5.2) | 2.9 (2.2) | ||
Sex | ||||
Male | 4.6 (4.8) | 0.3 | 3.5 (2.5) | < 0.01 |
Female | 3.5 (2.8) | 2.5 (1.9) | ||
Referal | ||||
General practitioner | 2.2 (1.9) | < 0.01 | 1.7 (1.3) | < 0.01 |
Specialist | 4.7 (4.6) | 3.3 (2.3) | ||
Smoking history | ||||
Nonsmoker | 3.2 (4.2) | < 0.01 | 2.4 (1.9) | < 0.01 |
Smokers or ex-smokers | 4.8 (4.4) | 3.6 (2.5) | ||
Nodules | ||||
Calcified Nodules | ||||
Yes | 3.1 (4.5) | 0.049 | 2.2 (1.6) | < 0.01 |
No | 4.5 (4.4) | 3.4 (2.4) | ||
Spiculated Nodules | ||||
Yes | 5.3 (4.3) | 0.048 | 4.9 (2.7) | < 0.01 |
No | 3.9 (4.4) | 2.7 (2.0) | ||
Mediastinal node | ||||
Yes | 4.5 (4.9) | 0.9 | 3.7 (2.5) | < 0.01 |
No | 4.3 (4.2) | 2.9 (2.2) | ||