Guidelines

The CAR Diagnostic Imaging Referral Guidelines are intended for physicians and are aimed at assisting them in making decisions in regard to appropriate imaging studies for specific cases.

In producing Guidelines such as these, there are always areas of contention, with difficult decisions having to be made in order to incorporate views that may be at variance with one another. Levels of scientific evidence for the recommendations are included within the document to enable the physician to assess the form and robustness of the advice offered.

These Guidelines are not intended as a means of restricting the physician’s role in the process of decision-making in regard to the imaging studies to be requested. The Guidelines are based on expert opinion or case studies. They should not be used to diminish in any way the freedom of attending physicians to determine and order imaging studies for their patients for whom they have the ultimate responsibility. Such use of these Guidelines would be an abuse of the process and could jeopardize the quality of care for an individual patient.

The Guidelines are intended as a guide for referring physicians; however, discussions between the radiologist and the physician, particularly during multidisciplinary team meetings, must always take precedence. To use these Guidelines in any other way is unacceptable.

The introduction of Guidelines in practice requires the co-operation of all concerned with the care of a patient and their ultimate effectiveness relies on appropriate education and locally agreed implementation procedures.

CAR Guidelines Working Group Chair, Dr. Martin Reed, is co-convenor of a group of 13 international organizations looking at creating international guidelines adaptable to varying global conditions, including those that exist in developing countries. Read more about this international collaboration here. In March 2010, the World Health Organization met with the group to collect their expert opinions on referral guidelines for appropriate use of radiation imaging in order to move towards developing user friendly referral guidelines adaptable for developing countries. The WHO supports the initiatives of the international group and further collaboration will continue. The CAR’s international leadership role supports radiology globally and allows us to grow knowledge that we can apply for the good of radiology right here at home.

The CAR maintains its expert role in guidelines through other affiliations such as with the Guidelines International Network. See this recent report.

Order or view Diagnostic Imaging Referral Guidelines

To receive a hard-copy of the Diagnostic Imaging Referral Guidelines booklet, please complete this order form.

To view the Diagnostic Imaging Referral Guidelines booklet in pdf format click here.

If you are a referring physician, we invite you to consult the Guidelines on the CMA website (for CMA Members only) at www.cma.ca or on the website of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (for CFPC Members only) at www.cfpc.ca.