ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Sepsis

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Sepsis is a global health crisis with high mortality.
• Identifying the infection source is crucial for effective sepsis management.
• Radiological imaging plays a key role in diagnosing sepsis etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide evidence-based guidelines on appropriate imaging for sepsis.
• To focus on thoracic and abdominopelvic sources of infection.
• To offer recommendations for commonly encountered sepsis scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Systematic analysis of peer-reviewed medical literature.
• Application of Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.
• Utilization of the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method for clinical scenarios.

Main Results:

• Presents 5 common sepsis scenarios with imaging recommendations.
• Details appropriate and inappropriate imaging modalities for each case.
• Incorporates expert opinion where literature is limited.

Conclusions:

• Appropriate imaging selection is imperative for sepsis diagnosis and management.
• Guidelines support optimal use of radiological studies in sepsis evaluation.
• Evidence-based recommendations aid clinicians in diagnosing thoracic and abdominopelvic sepsis.