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Imaging at London 2012 summer Olympic Games: analysis of demand and distribution of workload
  1. Sarath Bethapudi1,2,
  2. Richard Budgett3,4,5,
  3. Lars Engebretsen5,6,
  4. Philip O'Connor2,7
  1. 1London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, London, UK
  2. 2Department of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
  3. 3London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, London, UK
  4. 4English Institute of Sports, Bisham Abbey, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, UK
  5. 5International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission, Lausanne, Switzerland
  6. 6Department of Sports Medicine, Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
  7. 7London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Philip O'Connor, Department of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds LS7 4 SA, UK; Philip.O'Connor{at}leedsth.nhs.uk

Abstract

Background Very little data on the provision of imaging services at the summer Olympic Games have been published before. With 7.9 million Euros (£6.6 million, US$11 million) invested into setting up the imaging equipment at the purpose-built polyclinics for London 2012 summer Olympics, an ideal opportunity was presented to study the demand and distribution of workload on imaging services at the games.

Setting Imaging services within polyclinics, London 2012 summer Olympic Games.

Aims To analyse the demand and distribution of workload on radiology services at the London 2012 summer Olympic Games.

Methods Data on radiological investigations performed at London 2012 summer Olympic Games were retrieved from Radiology Information System-picture archiving communication system, ATOS medical encounter database and analysed.

Results 1711 diagnostic and interventional procedures were performed at the Stratford Polyclinic within the main games village. Of these 48.8% were MRI scans, 20.2% were diagnostic ultrasound examinations, 23.6% were plain radiographs, 2.9% were CT scans and interventional procedures accounted for 4.3%. Nearly 75% of imaging was performed on athletes while less than 5% of the services were utilised by the workforce. Demand on radiology services peaked during week 2 of the games.

Conclusions Imaging played a substantial role in providing medical services at the London 2012 summer Olympics.

  • Olympics
  • MRI
  • Ultrasound
  • Sporting injuries
  • Post olympic reviews

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