Table 2:

Clinical Condition—Lumbar Plexopathy

	MRI, abdomen and/or pelvis		CT, abdomen and/or pelvis		X-ray, lumbosacral spine	FDG-PET, whole body
	Without and with contrast	Without contrast	Without and with contrast	Without contrast	X-ray, lumbosacral spine	FDG-PET, whole body
Sudden onset	8^a	7^a	5^a	4^a	3	1
Chronic	8^a	7^a	5^a	4^a	4	2^b
Post-traumatic, nonacute	8^a	7^a	4^a	5^a	3	1
Cancer patient; no history of local radiation therapy	8^a	7^a	5^a	4^a	3	7^c
Cancer patient; post-radiation therapy	8^a	7^a	5^a	4^a	3	7^d

Note:—Appropriateness criteria scale from 1 to 9; 1, least appropriate; 9, most appropriate.
^a One or more anatomically contiguous studies may be appropriate depending on clinical circumstances.
^b May be appropriate if malignancy suspected.
^c May be useful for staging and characterizing local lesion.
^d Best imaging tool to distinguish between tumor recurrence and radiation plexopathy.