JOURNAL ARTICLE
PRACTICE GUIDELINE
REVIEW
ACR Appropriateness Criteria ® Suspected Osteomyelitis, Septic Arthritis, or Soft Tissue Infection (Excluding Spine and Diabetic Foot).
Infection of the musculoskeletal system is a common clinical problem. Differentiating soft tissue from osseous infection often determines the appropriate clinical therapeutic course. Radiographs are the recommend initial imaging examination, and although often not diagnostic in acute osteomyelitis, can provide anatomic evaluation and alternative diagnoses influencing subsequent imaging selection and interpretation. MRI with contrast is the examination of choice for the evaluation of suspected osteomyelitis, and MRI, CT, and ultrasound can all be useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue infection. CT or a labeled leukocyte scan and sulfur colloid marrow scan combination are alternative options if MRI is contraindicated or extensive artifact from metal is present. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.
Full text links
Trending Papers
Carvedilol, probably the β-blocker of choice for everyone with cirrhosis and portal hypertension: But not so fast!Liver International : Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver 2023 June
Evidence-Based Guideline for the diagnosis and management of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.Nature Reviews. Rheumatology 2023 May 10
Advances in Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment: Current Status and Future Directions.AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology 2023 May 19
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
Read by QxMD is copyright © 2021 QxMD Software Inc. All rights reserved. By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app