ACR Adds 5 Appropriateness Criteria Documents and Updates 39 Others

Matthew Skoufalos | | Radiology Business | Business Intelligence
The American College of Radiology has updated 39 of its appropriateness criteria and added another five to its evidence-based guidelines for health care providers. The ACR guidance documents reflect a professional standard for physicians determining “the most appropriate medical imaging exam or radiation therapy for a patient’s clinical condition,” according to the group's press release. The five new criteria address radiologic management of gastric varices, imaging of mesenteric ischemia, definitive therapy for early-stage cervical cancer, radiation therapy for small-cell lung cancer, and notably breast cancer screening, which has been much in the news with conflicting screening recommendations and patient advocates pushing for more information about breast density with mammography results. ACR Appropriateness Criteria “allows physicians to educate themselves” on the most up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations “for a wide variety of therapeutic decisions” in the treatment of cancer patients, said Benjamin Movsas, chair of the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Appropriateness Criteria in a statement released by the organization. The criteria reflect the recommendations of 350 experts in addressing 180 health topics; more than 850 variants are included among them.Click here to access them.

Matthew Skoufalos

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