ACR logo

ACR AC Portal

Home Imaging After Shoulder Arthroplasty
Variants
Scenario Scenario ID Procedure Adult RRL Peds RRL Appropriateness Category
Shoulder replaced, asymptomatic, routine follow up imaging 3194892
Radiography shoulder
<0.1 mSv
☢
Usually appropriate
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Scenario Scenario ID Procedure Adult RRL Peds RRL Appropriateness Category
Shoulder replaced, symptomatic, Initial imaging 3194893
Radiography shoulder
<0.1 mSv
☢
Usually appropriate
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Scenario Scenario ID Procedure Adult RRL Peds RRL Appropriateness Category
Shoulder replaced, symptomatic, rule out infection, radiographs performed, next imaging study 3194894
Image-guided aspiration shoulder

Varies
Varies 		Usually appropriate
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		May be appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		May be appropriate
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		May be appropriate
(Disagreement)
3-phase bone scan and WBC scan and sulfur colloid scan shoulder
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
May be appropriate
3-phase bone scan and WBC scan and sulfur colloid scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
May be appropriate
WBC scan and sulfur colloid scan shoulder
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
May be appropriate
(Disagreement)
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Scenario Scenario ID Procedure Adult RRL Peds RRL Appropriateness Category
Shoulder replaced, symptomatic, loosening suspected, no infection, radiographs performed, next imaging study 3194895
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually appropriate
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		May be appropriate
(Disagreement)
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		May be appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Scenario Scenario ID Procedure Adult RRL Peds RRL Appropriateness Category
Shoulder replaced, symptomatic, soft tissue abnormality suspected, no infection, radiographs performed, next imaging study 3194898
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually appropriate
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually appropriate
CT arthrography shoulder
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Shoulder replaced, symptomatic, rotator cuff tear suspected, no infection, radiographs performed, next imaging study 3194897
US shoulder
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually appropriate
MRI shoulder without IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually appropriate
CT arthrography shoulder
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually appropriate
MRI shoulder without and with IV contrast
0 mSv
O 		0 mSv [ped]
O 		Usually not appropriate
3-phase bone scan with SPECT or SPECT/CT shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢ 		3-10 mSv [ped]
☢☢☢☢ 		Usually not appropriate
Bone scan shoulder
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without and with IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
CT shoulder without IV contrast
1-10 mSv
☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
Fluoride PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh
10-30 mSv
☢☢☢☢
Usually not appropriate
© 2025