Abstract

BACKGROUND: The 2006 Cardiac CT Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) were recently revised in 2010. In addition to rating an expanded number of indications, the new criteria adjusted the appropriateness of existing indications to reflect changes in clinical practice and new evidence since 2006.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine how the appropriateness of cardiac CT examinations performed at a tertiary-care hospital changed under the revised criteria compared with the original AUC.
METHODS: Data were collected from the medical records and personal interview of 267 consecutive patients referred for cardiac CT in 2008. With the use of the 2010 and 2006 AUCs, two physicians designated each examination's indication as appropriate, inappropriate, uncertain, or "not classified" if examination indication could not be assigned.
RESULTS: With the use the new 2010 AUC, a highly significant change was observed in the classification of examination appropriateness (P CONCLUSION: The revision of the AUC for cardiac CT had a significant effect on examination appropriateness. In comparison to the 2006 AUC, the 2010 AUC provided improved clarification of examination appropriateness. This shift was because of the inclusion of many previously unaddressed indications and the designation of more examinations as either appropriate or inappropriate.