Comprehensive Red Flags and Reasons for Concern as Defined by the American College of Radiology1
| Red Flag Symptom | Concern |
|---|---|
| History of malignancy | Malignancy |
| Unexplained weight loss | Malignancy |
| Immunosuppression | Infection, malignancy |
| Urinary infection | Infection, malignancy |
| Intravenous drug use | Infection, malignancy |
| Pain not improved with conservative care | Infection, malignancy |
| Prolonged use of steroids | Fracture |
| History of significant trauma | Fracture |
| Minor fall/heavy lift in osteoporotic/elderly individual | Fracture |
| Acute onset urinary retention or overflow incontinence | Cauda equina syndrome, severe neurologic compromise |
| Loss of anal sphincter tone or fecal incontinence | Cauda equina syndrome, severe neurologic compromise |
| Saddle anesthesia | Cauda equina syndrome, severe neurologic compromise |
| Global or progressive motor weakness in lower limbs | Cauda equina syndrome, severe neurologic compromise |