The Stark loophole allows non radiologists to have CT and other imaging equipment in their offices. Some of the not egregious casework self-referral comes from cardiologists ordering CTs on their own scanners, orthopedists ordering MRI on their own scanners and urologists ordering ultrasounds on their machines. Hopefully after these many studies are done a radiologist will read them but not always
I agree entirely. The data they are referring to, however, looks to be from hospitals and not private offices.
There are caveats to this that are concerning, however. For example, if the same test is done, even by the same person, in a hospital facility vs. a private facility, the renumeration to the hospital is significantly higher. This has the effect of being anti-private practice, and favors centralization of services under administrative bureaucracies at hospitals.