ACR Appropriateness Criteria^® Organization and Composition of Expert Panels

• The ACR Appropriateness Criteria (AC) program includes diagnostic and interventional radiology (IR) expert panels.  The diagnostic panels are mainly organized along body systems (breast, cardiac, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, neurologic, thoracic, urologic, vascular, pediatric, and Gyn and Ob imaging).

• Each expert panel is chaired by an individual with leadership capabilities and expertise in the area of focus. 

• All panels have two or more subgroups that work on a defined set of topics.

• A complete list of all panels and subgroups can be found here. 

 Each panel subgroup is comprised of:

1. Eight to ten radiology members with expertise in the subgroup’s focus who participate in all the topics.
   
2. Radiology members with additional specialized expertise in the following areas who participate in select topics:
   
   • Nuclear medicine (selected by the Chair, ACR Commissionon on Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging)
   • Emergency radiology (selected by the Chair, ACR Committee on Emergency Radiology)
   • Radiation Oncology (selected by the Chair, ACR Commissionon on Radiation Oncology)
   • Members who participate in other ACR guidance documents that may have overlapping/similar content with the AC topics [eg, Reporting and Data Systems (RADS) or Incidental Findings (IF)
     
3. Non-radiology clinical experts. The complete list of medical speciality organizations providing clinical experts can be found here.

Panels are comprised of members representing:

1. Diverse geographic regions
2. Diverse demographic characteristics (eg, sex, age, years of practice)
3. Expertise in different imaging modalities (eg, CT, MR, nuclear medicine, ultrasound)
4. Different practice settings (eg, academic, private practice)
5. Different clinical settings (eg, ambulatory, emergency, hospital)
6. Expertise in additional areas such as clinical trial design, statistical analysis, or quality improvement

Panel Member

1. Must be an ACR member.
2. Must be the first author on the development of a new topic or revision of an existing topic.
   •  The first author may assign some of the research and writing responsibilities to a Research Author.
3. Be an active participant in all phases of the topic review and development process for all panel subgroup topics including but not limited to:
   • Review and comment on the documents
   • Participate in rating rounds
   • Be on conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic)
   • Review the final documents
4. Participate in an online course to review the AC program and methodology.
5. Review tutorials to learn about GRAVITAS, our web based application used for the AC topic development process and panel member management.
6. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
7. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
8. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria® materials to the ACR.
9. Attend meetings, if held (eg, RSNA, subspecialty society meeting). Panels only meet if greater than 50% of the members are available to attend.
10. Appointment terms are for one year, renewable up to three consecutive terms for a total period of four years. The Chairman of the Board of Chancellors can authorize extensions.

 
Expert Representative

1. Provide expertise in one of the following areas:
   • Nuclear medicine
   • Emergency radiology
   • Radiation oncology
   • Clinical speciality (eg, cardiology, neurosurgery, urology)
   • Primary care medicine
   • Other ACR guidance documents such as RADS or IF
2. Actively participate in all phases of the topic review and development process for the topics they have been assigned to including but not limited to:
   • Review and comment on the draft variants/clinical scenarios
   • Review and comment on the narrative documents
   • Participate in rating rounds
   • Be on conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic)
   • Review the final documents
     Note: Nuclear medicine and emergency radiology members may be assigned as a first author on a topic at the discretion of the panel chair.
3. Participate in an online course to review the AC program and methodology.
4. Review tutorials to learn about GRAVITAS, our web based application used for the AC topic development process and panel member management
5. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
6. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
7. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria® materials to the ACR.

 
Specialty Chair

1. Oversee two or more panel subgroups.
2. Must be a former panel chair or vice chair.
3. Must be approved by the AC Committee chair.
4. Participate in the development and review process for all of their panel’s topics including but not limited to:
   • Review and comment on the variants/clinical scenarios
   • Review and comment on the documents after review by the panel chair
   • Participate in rating rounds
   • Oversee the conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic led by the panel chair)
   • Review the final documents
5. Work with panel chairs on:
   • Recruiting radiology members
   • Completing annual reviews and yearly panel workplans
   • Approval of research authors to participate on selected topics
   • Identification of clinical content experts that should participate in topics
   • Panel member management (monitors panel member participation and adherence to AC methodology)
6. Participate on the Committee on Appropriateness Criteria:
   • Attend annual meeting in Chicago.
   • Review topics from all panels before they are finalized.
7. Attend meetings, if held (eg, RSNA, subspecialty society meetings). Panels only meet if greater than 50% of the members are available to attend:
   • Work with staff to prepare agendas for panel meetings.
   • Lead the panel meetings.
8. Review tutorials to learn about GRAVITAS, our web based application used for the AC topic development process and panel member management.
9. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
10. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
11. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria materials to the ACR.
12. Appointment terms are for one year, renewable once for a total period of two years. The AC Committee Chair and the Chairman of the Board of Chancellors can authorize extensions.

 
Panel Chair

1. Oversee the activities of a panel subgroup.
2. Must be a former panel vice chair or panel member.
3. Must be approved by the AC Committee chair.
4. Succession to the specialty chair position is not guaranteed, but is the desired outcome.
5. Participate in the development and review process for all of the panel subgroups topics including but not limited to:
   
   • Review and comment on the variants/clinical scenarios
     
   • Review and comment on the narrative documents
     
   • Participate in rating rounds
     
   • Lead the topic conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic)
     
   • Review the final documents
6. Perform the following for the panel subgroup:
   • Recruiting radiology members
   • Completing annual reviews and yearly panel workplans
   • Approval of research authors to participate on selected topics
   • Identification of clinical content experts that should participate in topics
   • Panel member management (monitors panel member participation and adherence to AC methodology)
7. Attend annual AC Committee meeting in Chicago and other meetings, if held (eg, RSNA, subspecialty society meetings). Panels only meet if greater than 50% of the members are available to attend.
   • Work with specialty chair and staff to prepare agendas for panel meetings.
   • Lead the panel meetings in the absence of the specialty chair.
8. Review tutorials to learn about GRAVITAS, our web based application used for the AC topic development process and panel member management.
9. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
10. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
11. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria materials to the ACR.
12. Appointment terms are for one year, renewable once for a total period of two years. The AC Committee Chair and the Chairman of the Board of Chancellors can authorize extensions.

 
Panel Vice Chair

1. Work with the panel chair to oversee the activities of a panel subgroup.
2. Must be a former panel member.
3. Must be approved by the AC Committee chair.
4. Is appointed during the last year of the panel chair’s term.
5. Succession to the panel chair position is not guaranteed, but is the desired outcome.
6. Participate in the development and review process for all of the panel subgroup topics including but not limited to:
   • Review and comment on the variants/clinical scenarios
   • Review and comment on the narrative documents
   • Participate in rating rounds
   • Participate on topic conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic)
   • Review the final documents
7. Assist the panel chair with the following activities as requested:
   • Recruiting radiology members
   • Completing annual reviews and yearly panel workplans
   • Identification of clinical content experts that should participate in topics
   • Panel member management (monitors panel member participation and adherence to AC methodology)
8. Attend meetings, if held (eg, RSNA, subspecialty society meeting). Panels only meet if greater than 50% of the members are available to attend.
9. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
10. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
11. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria materials to the ACR.
12. Appointment terms are for one year, renewable once for a total period of two years. The AC Committee Chair and the Chairman of the Board of Chancellors can authorize extensions.

 
Research Author

1. A radiology resident, fellow, or attending physician selected by a first author to assist with topic development and review for a selected topic.
2. Must have a mentoring or working relationship with the first author.
3. Must have expertise in the field of radiology for the topic they will be participating on.
4. Must be approved by the panel and specialty chair.
5. Works under the guidance and mentorship of the first author in all phases of the topic review and development process for the topic they are participating on including but not limited to:
   • Prepare the variants
   • Prepare the narrative
   • Update narrative based on chair review and panel review
   • Participate in rating rounds
   • Be on conference calls (there are generally one or two 1-hour calls per topic)
   • Review the final document
   • The panel member mentoring the research author will ordinarily be listed as the first author on the topic. The research author may be listed as the first author at the discretion of the first author and panel chair, depending on the research author’s overall scholarly contribution to
     the topic
6. Participate in an online course to review the AC program and methodology.
7. Review tutorials to learn about GRAVITAS, our web based application used for the AC topic development process and panel member management.
8. Complete a Conflict of Interest survey annually (or more frequently if there is new information to disclose), disclosing any actual or potential conflicts related to their duties and responsibilities on the panel.
9. Complete an Expertise survey annually.
10. Complete an Assignment of Copyright form assigning all rights, title, and interest in the ACR Appropriateness Criteria® materials to the ACR.