ACR appropriateness criteria radiologic management of infected fluid collections.

The best management of infected fluid collections depends on a careful assessment of clinical and anatomic factors as well as an up-to-date review of the published literature, to be able to select from a host of multidisciplinary treatment options. This article reviews conservative, radiologic, endoscopic, and surgical options and their best application to infected fluid collections as determined by the ACR Appropriateness Criteria Expert Panel on Interventional Radiology. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every three years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals, and the application, by the panel, of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria radiologic management of benign and malignant biliary obstruction.

The optimal treatment for patients with biliary obstruction varies depending on the underlying cause of the obstruction, the clinical condition of the patient, and anticipated long-term effects of the procedure performed. Endoscopic and image-guided procedures are usually the initial procedures performed for biliary obstructions. Various options are available for both the radiologist and endoscopist, and each should be considered for any individual patient with biliary obstruction. This article provides an overview of the current status of radiologic procedures performed in the setting of biliary obstruction and describes multiple clinical scenarios that may be treated by radiologic or other methods. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 2 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria radiologic management of hepatic malignancy.

Management of hepatic malignancy is a challenging clinical problem involving several different medical and surgical disciplines. Because of the wide variety of potential therapies, treatment protocols for various malignancies continue to evolve. Consequently, development of appropriate therapeutic algorithms necessitates consideration of medical options, such as systemic chemotherapy; surgical options, such as resection or transplantation; and locoregional therapies, such as thermal ablation and transarterial embolization. The authors discuss treatment strategies for the 3 most common subtypes of hepatic malignancy treated with locoregional therapies: hepatocellular carcinoma, neuroendocrine metastases, and colorectal metastases. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria(®) are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 2 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR appropriateness criteria® radiologic management of thoracic nodules and masses.

Pulmonary and mediastinal masses represent a wide range of pathologic processes with very different treatment options. Although advances in imaging (such as PET and high-resolution CT) help in many cases with the differential diagnosis of thoracic pathology, tissue samples are frequently needed to determine the best management for patients presenting with thoracic masses. There are many options for obtaining tissue samples, each of which has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. The purposes of this report are to present the most current evidence regarding biopsies of thoracic nodules and masses and to present the most appropriate options for select common clinical scenarios. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria(®) are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 2 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

Hepatic abscess complicating transarterial chemoembolization in a patient with liver metastases.

Hepatic abscess following transarterial chemoembolization is an uncommon complication. The authors describe a case of liver abscess after transarterial chemoembolization for neuroendocrine liver metastases, including risk factors, prophylaxis, treatment, and outcomes.

Nontarget embolization complicating transarterial chemoembolization in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Nontarget embolization during transarterial chemoembolization, although infrequent, can be a serious complication. The authors describe a case of nontarget gastric embolization to the stomach after transarterial chemoembolization and describe the published incidence of nontarget embolization to various organs, its diagnosis, treatment, and possible outcomes.