The American College of Radiology (ACR) has released seven new and 19 revised topics for its ACR Appropriateness Criteria. 

The new topics highlight (1) abdominal aortic aneurysm follow-up, (2) acute mental status change, delirium, and new onset psychosis, (3) nonatherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease, (4) scoliosis for children, (5) suspected appendicitis for children, (6) suspected spine trauma for children and (7) thyroid disease.

“These evidence-based, expert-developed guidelines have long been recognized across the medical field as a national standard,” Frank J. Rybicki, MD, PhD chair of the ACR Committee on Appropriateness Criteria, said in a prepared statement. “As we rapidly approach the beginning of the mandatory consultation of appropriate use criteria under Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), these resources are becoming even more important to the practice of medicine. The College welcomes meaningful comments on all topics as we work together to enhance patient care."

The ACR Appropriateness Criteria is a way in which medical providers may meet the 2014 PAMA requirements to consult appropriate use criteria before ordering advanced diagnostic imaging for Medicare patients. 

The Appropriateness Criteria currently includes 186 diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology topics with 914 clinical variants that covers more than 1,600 clinical scenarios.