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ACR Assist

ACR Assist provides radiologists with expert and AI-based clinical guidance to enhance traditional open-ended reporting practices in radiology. It is a new way for radiologists and referring physicians to benefit from structured, standards-based reports for monitoring and tracking findings and recommendations.

Structured data for better patient care



Traditional open-ended reporting practices result in clinical variability between radiologists. This can be frustrating for the referring physician, and result in inconsistent patient care. ACR Assist is made up of modules that bring ACR clinical guidance (e.g. LUNG-RADs, BI-RADS, and LI-RADS, or care pathways/algorithms found in the “incidentaloma” white papers) into reporting in real-time.

By making the most current evidence easily accessible — without interrupting the reading workflow — ACR Assist ensures that every report captures information essential to patient care and valuable for analysis.


What radiologists can expect from ACR Assist



  • Reports have greater consistency and include best-practice recommendations
  • Narrative reports are enhanced with structured data which is valuable for benchmarking, incorporating artificial intelligence, and monitoring and tracking
  • More complete reports decrease overutilization of services and reduce costs
  • Flexibility is maintained because ACR Assist is available through all radiology reporting vendors and can be incorporated seamlessly into existing workflow through voice recognition software (VRS) or picture archiving and communication system (PACS)

ACR Assist availability

Find the subspecialty areas where ACR Assist is available for structured reporting in the table below and use the links to download specialty areas.

Number

Guidance Name

 Version

Modality

 Description

Status

Release Date

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1 COVID-19 1.0 CT Help radiologists recognize the findings of COVID-19 infection as seen on chest CT exams and reduce variability in reporting these findings to referring providers. This is based on the four-category COVID-19 reporting system described by the joint RSNA, ACR, and STR consensus statement. Complete 2020 Q2 COVID-19
2 LI-RADS v2018 CT/MRI LI-RADS® was created to standardize the reporting and data collection of CT and MR imaging for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Complete 2020 Q3 LI-RADS
3 TI-RADS v2017 US Thyroid nodules are exceedingly common, leading to costly interventions for many lesions that ultimately prove benign. Final Review 2020 Q4  
4 IF-PITUITARY LESION v2018 CT/MRI/FDG PET The ACR Incidental Findings Committee presents recommendations for managing pituitary findings that are incidentally detected on CT, MRI and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET. Final Review 2020 Q4  

5

 PI-RADS v2.1 MRI To improve early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, ACR, AdMeTech Foundation and ESUR formed a joint effort to develop standards for the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS®). Initial Review 2021 Q1  
6 O-RADS

v2019

v2020

 Ultrasound/MRI “O-RADS™” is an acronym for an Ovarian-Adnexal Imaging-Reporting-Data System which will function as a quality assurance tool for the standardized description of ovarian/adnexal pathology. Final Review 2020 Q4  
7 Lung-RADS v1.1 CT Lung-RADS® is a quality assurance tool designed to standardize lung cancer screening CT reporting and management recommendations, reduce confusion in lung cancer screening CT interpretations,and facilitate outcome monitoring. Final Review 2020 Q4  
8 NI-RADS v2019 PET/CT and MRI Neck masses, especially in the setting of previous treatment for head and neck cancer, can be very complex to interpret. Initial Review  2021 Q1  
9 IF-Adrenal v2017 CT The ACR Incidental Findings Committee presents recommendations for managing adrenal masses that are incidentally detected on CT or MRI. These recommendations represent an update to the adrenal component of the JACR 2010 white paper on managing incidental findings in the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Initial Review 2020 Q4  
10 BI-RADS 5th edition Mammo, Breast US, Breast MRI BI-RADS reporting enables radiologists to communicate results to the referring physician clearly and consistently, with a final assessment and specific management recommendations. Under development 2021 Q1  
11 IF-Chest Mediastinal v2018 CT Recommendations for managing incidentally detected mediastinal and cardiovascular findings found on CT. Initial Review 2020 Q4  
12 IF-Liver v2017 CT These recommendations represent an update from the liver component of the ACR 2010 white paper on managing incidental findings in the pancreas, adrenal glands, kidneys, and liver. Initial Review 2020 Q4  
13 IF-Thyroid v2015 CTMRI/FDGPET The ACR formed the Incidental Thyroid Findings Committee to derive a practical approach to managing ITNs on CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, and ultrasound studies. Final Review 2020 Q4  
14 IF-Pancreas v2017 CT/MRI The ACR Incidental Findings Committee (IFC) presents recommendations for managing pancreatic cysts that are incidentally detected on CT or MRI. These recommendations represent an update from the pancreatic component of the JACR 2010 white paper on managing incidental findings in the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Initial Review 2020 Q4  
15 IF-Renal v2018 CT The ACR Incidental Findings Committee (IFC) presents recommendations for renal masses that are incidentally detected on CT. These recommendations represent an update from the renal component of the JACR 2010 white paper on managing incidental findings in the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Final Review 2020 Q4  
16 IF-Adnexal v2020 CT, MR The ACR Incidental Findings Committee (IFC) presents recommendations for managing adnexal masses incidentally detected on CT and MRI. These recommendations represent an update of those provided in previous JACR 2013 white paper. Under development 2021 Q1  
17 TBI-RADS N/A  -  - Planned 2021 Q1  
18 C-RADS Draft document in progress CT C-RADS establishes a standardized approach to the reporting of colorectal and extra-colonic finding in patients. Planned  2021 Q1  
19 BT-RADS New topic TBD  - Planned 2021 Q2  
20 PE-RADS New topic CT  - Planned 2021 Q2  
21 MSK-RADS New topic Bone (x-ray, CT, MR)  - Planned 2021 Q2  
22 MSK-RADS New topic Soft Tissue Tumors (TBD)  - Planned 2021 Q2  
23 IF-Pulmonary (Fleischner) v2018 CT Not an ACR product Planned  2021 Q1  
24 IF-Chest Nodules v2020 in progress CT Guidelines for the management of pulmonary nodules detected incidentally at CT examinations performed for purposes other than lung cancer screening. Planned 2021 Q1  
25 IF-Pineal New topic  -  - Planned  2021 Q2  

Locating ACR Assist-based tools

ACR Assist is freely-available to any vendor. The standard schema it uses allows all reporting vendors to incorporate it directly into their products, for use in your existing workflow. Contact your vendor directly for more information.

Other resources

For more information on ACR Assist, read the whitepaper on how it was developed to benefit radiologists or learn more about how Computer-Assisted Reporting and Decision Support (CAR/DS) is related to ACR Assist.

Get the information you need

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