ACR Appropriateness Criteria on low back pain.
Acute low back pain with or without radiculopathy is one of the most common health problems in the United States, with high annual costs of evaluation and treatment, not including lost productivity. Multiple reports show that uncomplicated acute low back pain or radiculopathy is a benign, self-limited condition that does not warrant any imaging studies. Guidelines for recognition of patients with more complicated status can be used to identify those who require further evaluation for suspicion of more serious problems and contribute to appropriate imaging utilization.
Davis
Patricia C
PC
Northwest Radiology Consultants, 3193 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30327, USA. pcd02@bellsouth.net
Wippold
Franz J
FJ
Brunberg
James A
JA
Cornelius
Rebecca S
RS
De La Paz
Robert L
RL
Dormont
Pr Didier
PD
Gray
Linda
L
Jordan
John E
JE
Mukherji
Suresh Kumar
SK
Seidenwurm
David J
DJ
Turski
Patrick A
PA
Zimmerman
Robert D
RD
Sloan
Michael A
MA
D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011871:Radiology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States