Over the past decade, there have been sustained increases in utilization and costs of echocardiographic procedures. As a result, concerns have been raised about potential overuse or misuse of echocardiography. Appropriateness criteria (AC) represent a physician-directed effort to define appropriate utilization of cardiac imaging procedures. Recent studies of the AC for echocardiography suggest they can be feasibly applied and can successfully stratify appropriate clinical practice of echocardiography. ASE has provided this page as a resource for physicians who want to find out more about the Appropriate Use Criteria for Transthoracic, Transesophageal, and Stress Echocardiography.
Appropriateness Criteria for TTE and TEE
The ACCF/ASE/AHA/ASNC/HFSA/HRS/SCAI/SCCM/SCCT/SCMR 2011 Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography, by Douglas et al, was developed with input from ASE, the American College of Cardiology and a number of other professional organizations and updates recommendations regarding the appropriateness of transthoracic, transesophageal, and stress echocardiography in an expanded number of clinical scenarios.
ACCF/ASE/ACEP/AHA/ASNC/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR 2008 Appropriateness Criteria for Stress Echocardiography
A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriateness Criteria Task Force, American Society of Echocardiography, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Heart Association, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, and Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and Society of Critical Care Medicine. (3/08)
