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Table 1 United States Preventives Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations (March, 2012)

From: The effect of a test ordering software intervention on the prescription of unnecessary laboratory tests - a randomized controlled trial

Coloured dots

Gradea

Test

Summary of the recommendations

Red

D

Pelvic ultrasound

Not recommended as routine screening for ovarian cancer.

Red

D

Cancer antigen 19-9

Not recommended as routine screening for pancreatic cancer.

Red

D

Rest electrocardiography

Not recommended in asymptomatic adults at low risk for coronary heart disease events.

Red

D

Exercise electrocardiography

Not recommended in asymptomatic adults at low risk for coronary heart disease events.

Red

D

Carotid artery ultrasound

Not recommended as screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis in the general adult population.

Red

D

Spirometry

Not recommended as screening adults for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Red

D

Hepatitis B surface antigen

Not recommended as routine screening.

Red

D

Hepatitis C antibodies

Not recommended as routine screening.

Yellow

I

Triglycerides

There is currently insufficient evidence of the benefit of including triglycerides as a part of the initial tests used to screen routinely for dyslipidemia.

Yellow

I

Prostate-specific antigen

The evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening for prostate cancer in men younger than 75.

Yellow

I

Lung computed tomography

The evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening for lung cancer.

Yellow

I

Lung X-ray

The evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening for lung cancer.

Yellow

I

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

The evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening.

Green

B

Glucose

Screening for type 2 diabetes recommended in asymptomatic adults with sustained blood pressure (either treated or untreated) greater than 135/80 mm Hg.

Green

A/B

Total cholesterol

Recommended every 5 years, for men aged 35 and older and women 45 and older if they are at increased risk for coronary heart disease. At younger ages if they are at increased risk for coronary heart disease.

Green

B

Mammography

Biennial screening recommended for women aged 50 to 74 years.

Green

A

Cervicovaginal cytology

Every 3 years screening recommended for women who have cervix, 21 to 65 years old.

Green

A

Faecal occult blood test

Recommended annually as a possible method of screening for colorectal cancer, 50 to 75 years.

Green

A

Colonoscopy

Recommended every 10 years as a possible method of screening for colorectal cancer, 50 to 75 years.

Green

A

Flexible sigmoidoscopy

Recommended every 5 years as a possible method of screening for colorectal cancer, 50 to 75 years.

Green

A/B

HDL cholesterol

Recommended every 5 years, for men aged 35 and older and women 45 and older if they are at increased risk for coronary heart disease. At younger ages if they are at increased risk for coronary heart disease.

Green

B

DXAb of the hip and lumbar spine

Screening recommended for osteoporosis in women aged 65 years or older and in younger women whose fracture risk is equal to or greater than that of a 65-year-old.

Green

A

Venereal Disease Research Laboratory

Recommended for persons at increased risk for syphilis infection.

  1. aUSPSTF grades A and B: the USPSTF recommends the service, marked with green dots. Grade D: the USPSTF recommends against the service, marked with red dots. Grade I: the USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the service, marked with yellow dots
  2. b DXA Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry