概述
All prior AU C publications from the ACCF and collaborating organizations reflect anongoing effort to critically and systematically create, review, and categorize the ap propriate use of cardiovascular procedures and diagnostic tests. The ACCF recognizes the importance of revising these criteria in a timely manner in order to provide the cardiovascular community with the most accurate indications. Under standing the background and scope of this document are important before interpreting the rating tables.
This document presents a combination and revision of the 2007 ACCF AUC for Transthoracic and Transesophageal Echocardiography (1) and the 2 00 8 AC CF AU C for Stress Echocardiography (2). Appropriate e chocardiograms are those that are likely to contribute to improving patients’ clinical outcomes, and importantly, inappropriate use of e chocardiography may be potentially harmful to patients and generate unwarranted costs to the healthcare system.