TY - JOUR
T1 - Diagnostic imaging for low back pain
T2 - advice for high-value health care from the American College of Physicians
AU - Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians
AU - Chou, Roger
AU - Qaseem, Amir
AU - Owens, Douglas K
AU - Shekelle, Paul
AU - Weinberg, David S.
PY - 2011/2/1
Y1 - 2011/2/1
N2 - Diagnostic imaging is indicated for patients with low back pain only if they have severe progressive neurologic deficits or signs or symptoms that suggest a serious or specific underlying condition. In other patients, evidence indicates that routine imaging is not associated with clinically meaningful benefits but can lead to harms. Addressing inefficiencies in diagnostic testing could minimize potential harms to patients and have a large effect on use of resources by reducing both direct and downstream costs. In this area, more testing does not equate to better care. Implementing a selective approach to low back imaging, as suggested by the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society guideline on low back pain, would provide better care to patients, improve outcomes, and reduce costs.
AB - Diagnostic imaging is indicated for patients with low back pain only if they have severe progressive neurologic deficits or signs or symptoms that suggest a serious or specific underlying condition. In other patients, evidence indicates that routine imaging is not associated with clinically meaningful benefits but can lead to harms. Addressing inefficiencies in diagnostic testing could minimize potential harms to patients and have a large effect on use of resources by reducing both direct and downstream costs. In this area, more testing does not equate to better care. Implementing a selective approach to low back imaging, as suggested by the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society guideline on low back pain, would provide better care to patients, improve outcomes, and reduce costs.
KW - Diagnostic Imaging/economics
KW - Evidence-Based Medicine
KW - Guideline Adherence
KW - Health Care Costs
KW - Humans
KW - Low Back Pain/diagnosis
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging/economics
KW - Practice Guidelines as Topic
KW - Radiography/economics
KW - Tomography, X-Ray Computed/economics
KW - Treatment Outcome
KW - Unnecessary Procedures
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79551518558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7326/0003-4819-154-3-201102010-00008
DO - 10.7326/0003-4819-154-3-201102010-00008
M3 - Article
C2 - 21282698
SN - 0003-4819
VL - 154
SP - 181
EP - 189
JO - Annals of Internal Medicine
JF - Annals of Internal Medicine
IS - 3
ER -