Clinical guidance for MRI referral

GP resources

Clinical guidance for MRI referral
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  2. Recommendations
  3. Figures and tables
  5. Provided under licence

Last revised: 01 Oct 2013

This guidance is accompanied by a series of downloadable summary sheets (available at the bottom of this page):

  • MRI of the head for unexplained seizure
  • MRI of the head for chronic headache with suspected intracranial pathology
  • MRI of the spine for cervical radiculopathy
  • MRI of the spine for cervical trauma
  • MRI of the knee for acute anterior cruciate ligament and meniscal tears.

GPs will also be able to earn CPD points with the accompanying online interactive learning module.

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  3. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR). Radiology written report guideline, (short) version 5 (final). Sydney: RANZCR, 2011.
  4. Lehnert BE, Bree RL. Analysis of appropriateness of outpatient CT and MRI referred from primary care clinics at an academic medical center: how critical is the need for improved decision support? J Am Coll Radiol 2010;7(3):192– 97.
  5. Moynihan R, Doust J, Henry D. Preventing overdiagnosis: how to stop harming the healthy. BMJ 2012;344:e3502.
  6. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR). Guidance for GP referrals for MRI studies. Sydney: RANZCR, 2013.
  7. Krumholz A, Wiebe S, Gronseth G, et al. Practice parameter: Evaluating an apparent unprovoked first seizure in adults (an evidence-based review): report of the quality standards subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology 2007;69(21):1996–2007.
  8. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Diagnosis and management of epilepsy in adults: a national clinical guideline. Edinburgh: SIGN, 2003.
  9. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The epilepsies: diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults in primary and secondary care. London: NICE, 2012.
  10. King MA, Newton MR, Jackson GD, et al. Epileptology of the first-seizure presentation: a clinical, electroencephalographic, and magnetic resonance imaging study of 300 consecutive patients. Lancet 1998;352(9133):1007–11.
  11. Wilden JA, Cohen-Gadol AA. Evaluation of first nonfebrile seizures. Am Fam Physician 2012;86(4):334.
  12. Berg AT. Risk of recurrence after a first unprovoked seizure. Epilepsia 2008;49:13–18.
  13. Pohlmann-Eden B, Beghi E, Camfield C, Camfield P. The first seizure and its management in adults and children. BMJ 2006;332(7537):339–42.
  14. Adams SM, Knowles PD. Evaluation of a first seizure. Am Fam Physician 2007;75:1342–47.
  15. Hamilton W, Kernick D. Clinical features of primary brain tumours: a case–control study using electronic primary care records. Br J Gen Pract 2007;57(542):695–9.
  16. Harden CL, Huff JS, Schwartz TH, et al. Reassessment: Neuroimaging in the emergency patient presenting with seizure (an evidence-based review): report of the therapeutics and technology assessment subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 2007;69(18):1772–80.
  17. Smirniotopoulos JG, Wippold FJ, Cornelius RS, Angtuaco EJ, Broderick DF, Brown DC. Expert panel on neurologic imaging. ACR appropriateness criteria – seizures and epilepsy Reston, VA: American College of Radiology (ACR), 2011. [Online publication].
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  19. Vattipally VR, Bronen RA. MR imaging of epilepsy: strategies for successful interpretation. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 2004;14(3):349–72. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Diagnosis and management of headache in adults. A national clinical guide. Edinburgh: NHS Scotland, 2008.
  20. Frishberg BM, Rosenberg JH, Matchar DB, et al. Evidence-based guidelines in the primary care setting: neuroimaging in patients with nonacute headache. The American Academy of Neurology, 2000.
  21. National Clinical Guideline Centre. Headaches: diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults. Methods, evidence and recommendations. London: NICE, 2012.
  22. Nunes VD, Sawyer L, Neilson J, Sarri G, Cross JH. Diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children: Summary of updated NICE guidance. BMJ 2012;344:e281.
  23. Steiner TJ, MacGregor EA, Davies PTG. Guidelines for all healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of migraine, tension-type, cluster and medication-overuse headache. British Association for the Study of Headache 2007;2007:1–52.
  24. Bogduk N. The anatomical basis for cervicogenic headache. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1992;15(1):67–70.
  25. Carville S, Padhi S, Reason T, Underwood M. Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults: summary of NICE guidance. BMJ 2012;345:e5765 doi:10.1136/bmj.e5765.
  26. Davies MB. How do I diagnose headache? J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2006;36(4):336.
  27. Zagami AS, Goddard SL. Recurrent headaches with visual disturbance. Med J Aust 2012;196(3):178–83.
  28. North American Spine Society (NASS). Diagnosis and treatment of cervical radiculopathy from degenerative disorders. Burr Ridge, Ill: NASS, 2010.
  29. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Clinical knowledge summaries: neck pain – cervical radiculopathy. Revised January 2009
  30. Nordin M, Carragee EJ, Hogg-Johnson S, et al. Assessment of neck pain and its associated disorders. Eur Spine J 2008;17(1):101–22.
  31. Kuijper B, Beelen A, van der Kallen BF, et al. Interobserver agreement on MRI evaluation of patients with cervical radiculopathy. Clin Radiol 2011;66(1):25–29.
  32. Guzman J, Haldeman S, Carroll LJ, et al. Clinical practice implications of the bone and joint decade 2000-2010 task force on neck pain and its associated disorders: from concepts and findings to recommendations. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009;32(2 Suppl):S227–S43.
  33. Reneman L, de Win MM, Booij J, et al. Incidental head and neck findings on MRI in young healthy volunteers: prevalence and clinical implications. Am J Neuroradiol 2012;33(10):1971–74.
  34. Boden SD, Davis DO, Dina TS, Patronas NJ, Wiesel SW. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1990;72(3):403–8.
  35. Medical PA Criteria Proposal. MRI of cervical spine. ACS Heritage, 2005.
  36. Como JJ, Diaz JJ, Dunham CM, et al. Practice management guidelines for identification of cervical spine injuries following trauma: update from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Practice Management Guidelines Committee. J Trauma 2009;67(3):651–59.
  37. Bussières AE, Taylor JA, Peterson C. Diagnostic imaging practice guidelines for musculoskeletal complaints in adults – an evidence-based approach. Part 3: Spinal disorders. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2008;31(1):33–88.
  38. Daffner RH, Weissman BN, Angtuaco EJ, et al. ACR appropriateness criteria® – suspected spine trauma Reston, VA: American College of Radiology, 2012. [Online publication].
  39. Blackmore CC. Evidence-based imaging evaluation of the cervical spine in trauma. Neuroimaging Clinics of North America 2003;13(2):283–91.
  40. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical knowledge summaries: neck pain – whiplash injury
  41. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical knowledge summaries: neck pain – non-specific
  42. Greenbaum J, Walters N, Levy PD. An evidence-based approach to radiographic assessment of cervical spine injuries in the emergency department. J Emerg Med 2009;36(1):64–71.
  43. Blackham J, Benger J. Clearing the cervical spine in the unconscious trauma patient. Trauma 2011;13(1):65–79.
  44. Kongsted A, Sorensen JS, Andersen H, Keseler B, Jensen TS, Bendix T. Are early MRI findings correlated with long-lasting symptoms following whiplash injury? A prospective trial with 1-year follow-up. Eur Spine J 2008;17(8):996–1005.
  45. Horn EM, Lekovic GP, Feiz-Erfan I, Sonntag VK, Theodore N. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities not predictive of cervical spine instability in traumatically injured patients: invited submission from the joint section meeting on disorders of the spine and peripheral nerves. J Neurosurg Spine 2004;1(1):39–42.
  46. Muchow RD, Resnick DK, Abdel MP, Munoz A, Anderson PA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the clearance of the cervical spine in blunt trauma: a meta-analysis. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2008;64(1):179–89.
  47. Schuster R, Waxman K, Sanchez B, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging is not needed to clear cervical spines in blunt trauma patients with normal computed tomographic results and no motor deficits. Arch Surg 2005;140(8):762.
  48. New Zealand Guidelines Group. MRI guidelines for the diagnosis of soft tissue knee injuries: internal derangements updated by ACC. Auckland: Accident Compensation Corporation; 2010.
  49. Ryzewicz M, Peterson B, Siparsky PN, Bartz RL. The diagnosis of meniscus tears: the role of MRI and clinical examination. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2007;455:123–33.
  50. Tuite MJ, Daffner RH, Weissman BN, et al. ACR appropriateness criteria® – acute trauma to the knee. J Am Coll Radiol 2012;9(2):96–103.
  51. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical knowledge summaries: knee pain – assessment
  52. Grover M. Evaluating acutely injured patients for internal derangement of the knee. Am Fam Physician 2012;85(3):247–52.
  53. Benjaminse A, Gokeler A, van der Schans CP. Clinical diagnosis of an anterior cruciate ligament rupture: a metaanalysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2006;36(5):267–88.
  54. Karachalios T, Hantes M, Zibis AH, Zachos V, Karantanas AH, Malizos KN. Diagnostic accuracy of a new clinical test (the Thessaly test) for early detection of meniscal tears. J Bone Joint Surg 2005;87(5):955–62.
  55. Mohan BR, Gosal HS. Reliability of clinical diagnosis in meniscal tears. Int Orthop 2007;31(1):57–60.
  56. Yao K, Haque T. The Ottawa knee rules – a useful clinical decision tool. Aust Fam Physician 2012;41(4):223–24.
  57. Crawford R, Walley G, Bridgman S, Maffulli N. Magnetic resonance imaging versus arthroscopy in the diagnosis of knee pathology, concentrating on meniscal lesions and ACL tears: a systematic review. Br Med Bull 2007;84:5–23.
  58. Boks SS, Vroegindeweij D, Koes BW, Hunink MG, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Follow-up of posttraumatic ligamentous and meniscal knee lesions detected at MR imaging: systematic review. Radiology 2006;238(3):863–71.
  59. Frobell RB, Roos HP, Roos EM, Roemer FW, Ranstam J, Lohmander LS. Republished research: Treatment for acute anterior cruciate ligament tear: five year outcome of randomised trial. Br J Sports Med 2013;47(6):373.
  60. Guermazi A, Niu J, Hayashi D, et al. Prevalence of abnormalities in knees detected by MRI in adults without knee osteoarthritis: population based observational study (Framingham Osteoarthritis Study). BMJ 2012;345:e5339.
  61. Ben-Galim P, Steinberg EL, Amir H, Ash N, Dekel S, Arbel R. Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging of the knee and unjustified surgery. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2006;447:100–4.
  62. Englund M, Felson DT, Guermazi A, et al. Risk factors for medial meniscal pathology on knee MRI in older US adults: a multicentre prospective cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70:1733–39.
  63. Behairy NH, Dorgham MA, Khaled SA. Accuracy of routine magnetic resonance imaging in meniscal and ligamentous injuries of the knee: comparison with arthroscopy. Int Orthop 2009;33(4):961–67.
  64. Oldrini G, Teixeira PG, Chanson A, et al. MRI appearance of the distal insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee: an additional criterion for ligament ruptures. Skeletal Radiol 2012;41(9):1111–20.
  65. Grant R. Overview: brain tumour diagnosis and management/Royal College of Physicians guidelines. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2004;75(Suppl 2):ii18–23.
  66. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society. The international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition (beta version). Cephalalgia 2013;33(9):629–808.
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