Having been in radiology a number of years, I know it can be difficult to decide what is the best study, if any, for each patient. Radiation? Cost? Wait time? Contrast or not? MRI vs CT scan?
The American College of Radiology teamed up with many specialist to create the Appropriateness Criteria. It has the goal of helping providers better choose which study is best for their patients.
There is terrific information in this project, however it can be intimidating to navigate.
I will summarize a few per week, with links to the source documentation, as a primer for my friends who are not necessarily radiologists.
Fellow providers, please leave comments and I will address them to the best of my ability. Patients please see below.
This is the entire Appropriateness Criteria:
http://www.acr.org/Quality-Safety/Appropriateness-Criteria
This is also accessible from here:
http://www.guideline.gov/search/search.aspx?term=acr+appropriateness
Radiologists in training may benefit from these posts as well as the ABR Core Exam asks specific question from the ACR AC.
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Radiology is a very large and ever changing field and this post is to help your provider. When combined with a thorough history and physical exam, this information can be very useful. Your provider is best suited to answer specific questions regarding this post.
Of course, this is not a substitute for medical care.
