ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Chronic Knee Pain

Abstract

Chronic knee pain is a condition that is frequently encountered. Imaging often plays an important role in narrowing down the potential causes and determining the most effective next steps. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria for Chronic Knee Pain provides clinicians with the best practices for ordering imaging examinations. The following narrative and accompanying tables should serve as useful guides to any clinician. 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.