Researchers including one of Indian-origin have found that patients whose doctors own MRI machines are more likely to get scans they might not need as compared to those who have no financial interests.

Researchers analysed reports on 500 MRI scans performed on patients with lower back pain that had been sent for review to Duke University. Of the scans with normal results, 106 were ordered by orthopedic surgeons who owned the machines versus 57 by doctors without financial ties.