ACR releases thoracic CT incidental findings guidance

The American College of Radiology (ACR) Incidental Findings Committee has published a white paper outlining guidance for managing thoracic CT incidental findings.

"The recommendations address commonly encountered incidental findings in the lungs and are not intended to be a comprehensive overview of all pulmonary incidental findings," wrote a team led by Dr. Reginald Munden of the Medical University of South Carolina in an article published online July 7 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. "The goal is to improve the quality of care by providing guidance on management of incidentally detected thoracic findings."

The paper includes recommendations for incidental findings such as the following:

• Solid nodules
• Multiple solid nodules
• Solitary or multiple ground-glass nodules
• Pulmonary cysts
• Ground-glass opacities
• Reticular opacities

"All pulmonary incidental findings are best managed in a shared decision process between the radiologists, referring or consulting physician, and the patient," the group concluded.