Appropriateness Criteria Patient-Friendly Summaries

The American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria (AC) are guidelines based on evidence that shows that imaging tests and treatment work for about 300 commonly encountered medical problems. The guidelines were written by a panel of experts and focus on which imaging tests physicians should, or should not, order for different patient symptoms, medical histories, and health status. Using well-established criteria, the recommendations are reviewed every year using an expert panel of different medical specialists who take into account the latest research. If the research evidence is insufficient, or evidence for the right treatment or imaging test is not clear, the panel uses expert opinions to develop their recommendations.