New, revised topics released in ACR appropriateness criteria

(HealthDay)—The latest edition of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria has been released and includes 188 diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology topics, with 908 clinical variants covering more than 1,670 clinical scenarios.

The update includes two new topics: clinically suspected vascular malformation of the extremities and gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). For vascular malformation of the upper or lower extremities, magnetic resonance angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography angiography, and ultrasound (US) duplex Doppler of the extremity area of interest are usually appropriate. For suspected or initial diagnosis of GTD, US examinations are usually appropriate.

In addition, 10 topics have been revised, including acute pancreatitis; acute respiratory illness in immunocompromised patients; headache; lower urinary tract symptoms suspicious of benign prostatic hyperplasia; suspected neoplasm in the case of palpable abdominal mass; penetrating trauma in the lower abdomen and pelvis; posttreatment follow-up and active surveillance of clinically localized renal cell cancer; posttreatment bladder cancer surveillance; initial workup and surveillance for local recurrence and distant metastases in asymptomatic women with stage I breast cancer; and suspected osteomyelitis of the foot in diabetes.

Source: Read Full Article