RAD CT Guide

FROM ACR appropriateness criteria: 

• Acute nonspecific chest pain

  • low probability of coronary artery disease- Initial imaging 

• Pneumonia

  • effusion or abscess suspected on X-ray

• Chest trauma

  • blunt, cardiac injury suspected, haemodynamically stable OR unstable 

• Cough

  • chronic >8 weeks, initial clinical evaluation and empiric treatment complete, persistent symptoms, initial imaging 

• Dyspnoea

  • chronic, chest wall or pleural disease suspected 

• Haemoptysis

  • massive, life threatening, initial imaging

  • non-massive, initial imaging 

  • recurrent, initial imaging 

• Mediastinal mass 

  • suspected or indeterminate on x-ray, initial imaging or next imaging study

• Lung cancer

  • non-small cell, staging 

  • small cell, staging

• Chest wall pain

  • non-traumatic, infection suspected, chest X-ray normal, next imaging study

  • non-traumatic, inflammatory condition suspected, chest x-ray normal, next imaging study

  • known malignancy or suspected, chest x-ray normal, next imaging study

  • non-traumatic, prior chest intervention, chest x-ray normal, next imaging study

• Occupational lung disease

  • thoracic neoplasm suspected 

• Paediatric

  • pneumonia, immunocompetent, bronchopleural fistula, abscess suspected on x-ray, next imaging study

  • recurrent localised pneumonia on X-ray, next imaging study

• Acute aortic syndrome with chest pain

• Soft tissue infection suspected

  • chest, soft tissue gas, joint effusion, soft tissue swelling, necrotising fasciitis suspected, no puncture wound, next imaging study 

• Pulmonary hypertension suspected, initial imaging 

• Thoracic outlet syndrome, venous, initial imaging or imaging after surgery or intervention 

• Staging for known solid of hollow viscous malignancy