An incidental finding, also known as an incidentaloma, may be defined as “an incidentally discovered mass or lesion, detected by CT, MRI, or other imaging modality performed for an unrelated reason.”
An increase in cross-sectional imaging examinations over the past three decades has led to a marked increase in the number of imaging findings that are unrelated to the primary indication for the test.
Each incidental finding guidance document addresses the patient population in which the recommendations apply and provides context for interpretation of the recommendations.
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Permissions outside of publications may be available by request.
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Incidental Findings content is available on the ACR Guidance App
Aim & Goals
The Incidental Findings Committee aims to provide general guidance on managing incidentally discovered masses, with the understanding that specific patient care will vary depending on each individual’s circumstances, the clinical environment, available resources, and the judgment of the practitioner.
The Incidental Findings Committee has developed, through a formal consensus-building process, a series of management recommendations to provide consistent terminology and color-coded flowcharts (or algorithms) to guide providers to action or surveillance of incidentally detected findings.
“What is the responsible use of information that nobody asked for?”
-Fletcher and Pignone, 2008
The goals of the Incidental Findings Committee are:
- To synthesize available evidence and expert clinical experience to develop specific management recommendations.
- To develop a consensus on the key patient characteristics and imaging features for accurately characterizing incidental findings.
- To offer guidance on managing incidental findings in a manner that carefully balances patient risks and benefits.
- To recommend reporting terminology that accurately reflects the confidence level and associated risk of a finding.
- To reduce risk to patients from additional unnecessary examinations, including the risks of radiation and risks associated with interventional procedures.
- To guide research towards an evidence-based approach for incidental findings by proposing a universal management framework.
Incidental Findings Publications
The ACR Incidental Findings publications include important considerations for specific patient populations that should be taken into account prior to application.
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