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PubMed2003

The diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a pediatric population: to CT or not to CT.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine if focused appendiceal computed tomography with colon contrast (FACT-CC) increases the accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective review was conducted of a university hospital database of 283 patients (age 0.8 to 19.3 years; mean, 11.3 years) treated with appendectomy for presumed acute appendicitis. RESULTS: Of the 283 patients in whom appendectomies were performed, 268 were confirmed by pathologic analysis of the specimen to have acute appendicitis for a diagnostic accuracy in our institution of 94.7%. Ninety-six patients (34%) underwent FACT-CC scans as part of their preoperative evaluation. The sensitivity of the computed tomography (CT) scan was 94.6%, and the positive predictive value was 95.6%. In girls older than 10 years, CT imaging was not significantly more accurate in predicting appendicitis than examination alone (93.9% v. 87.5%; P =.46). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative FACT-CC did not increase the accuracy in diagnosing appendicitis when compared with patients diagnosed by history, physical examination and laboratory studies. If there was a strong suspicion of appendicitis, a negative CT scan did not exclude the diagnosis of appendicitis. However, focused appendiceal CT scan is a sensitive test with a high positive predictive value and may be useful in a patient with an atypical history or examination.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

[Ultrasound study of "acute appendicitis," an elective procedure or obligation in general surgery. A prospective study].

576 patients admitted for suspected acute appendicitis were prospectively assessed by sonography following physical examination. The collective comprised - as proven by operation - 156 patients with acute appendicitis, 178 patients with chronic appendicitis or mesenteric lymphadenitis, as proven by observation, 186 patients suffering from gastroenteritis. 56 patients suffered from other diseases and 21 of them required urgent surgery. Based on clinical symptoms, correct diagnosis had been made in 433 patients (75%): gastroenteritis n = 186, chronic appendicitis or lymphadenitis n = 111 and acute appendicitis n = 136 (87%). In 123 patients the diagnosis was false positive, in 20 patients false negative. Based on sonographic assessment, 537 patients (93%) were correctly diagnosed; thus, in 129 patients (83%) an inflamed appendix was confirmed, in 56 patients; diagnosis of unrelated entities requiring urgent surgery correct in 21 cases. In 12 patients with mesenteric lymphadenitis - as proven by operation-a false positive, in another 27 patients with acute appendicitis a false negative diagnosis was made. The combination of clinical assessment and sonographic diagnosis yielded a correct diagnosis in 97% (560/576) comprising 414 true negative and 146 true positive results (94%) in respect of acute appendicitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The value of C-reative protein analysis for the differential diagnosis of non-acute appendicitis].

Appendicitis is one of the most common causes for laparatomy in children. Diagnosis can be very problematic, especially if appendicitis is combined with gastro-enteritis. Furthermore, difficulties can be encountered in diagnosis of diseases such as mucoviscidosis, leukosis, immunosuppressive or chemotherapy are present. In addition to the common clinical examination we have to look for other methods to complete the indication for appendectomy. Therefore in 1985 we added the CRP-determination to our diagnostics for patients with suspected appendicitis. In a retrospective study 269 patients who had signs of acute appendicitis were examined. We found that the determination of the CRP-level, in conjunction with the standard parameters of appendicitis, represents a valuable addition to the diagnostic armamentarium. However our data shows, that the CRP-level in itself cannot be regarded as a sole criteria for an unambiguous diagnosis of non-acute appendicitis, as it is the case with any other appendicitis parameter.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

A prospective study of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of appendicitis.

The diagnosis of appendicitis is frequently difficult. We studied prospectively the diagnostic accuracy and clinical impact of abdominal ultrasonography in 111 consecutive patients thought to have appendicitis. Ultrasonography was performed with small high-resolution, linear-array transducers, with the abdomen compressed to displace or compress bowel and fat. Among 52 patients later shown in surgery to have appendicitis, ultrasonography was unequivocally positive in 39 (sensitivity, 75 percent). Of 31 patients in whom appendicitis was definitely excluded, none had a positive ultrasound examination (specificity, 100 percent). The sensitivity in those with a perforated appendix (28.5 percent) was much lower than in those with acute nonperforating appendicitis (80.5 percent) or appendiceal mass (89 percent), but the low sensitivity did not influence clinical management, since the need for surgery in patients with a perforated appendix was clinically obvious. Ultrasonography resulted in changes in the proposed management in 29 of the 111 patients (26 percent). It also led to the correct diagnosis in the 16 patients who were found to have a disease other than appendicitis. We conclude that ultrasonography is a useful aid in the diagnosis of appendicitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Sequential cytokine levels in the diagnosis of appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of sequential white blood cell count (WBC), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with abdominal pain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tests were determined at hospital admission and 6 h later in 105 children. Patients who were non-operatively followed and had a normal histopathology were classified as the non-appendicitis (NA) group. Patients with symptoms consistent with appendicitis were classified as the appendicitis group (A). Data were analyzed as positive/negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rate (AR). The global power of the variables in discriminating the patients between the two groups and advanced/simple appendicitis was assessed from the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). RESULTS: Initial measurements showed WBC to be a valuable diagnostic tool in acute appendicitis (AR = 74 %), whereas IL-6 and TNF-alpha were found not to be valuable. The second measurements revealed higher values, and IL-6 reached its highest AR (89 %). When initial values were evaluated in combination, the highest AR of 73 % was observed with TNF-alpha + WBC. The highest AR (90 %) was seen with IL-6 + TNF-alpha in the second measurements. ROC analysis showed WBC to be the most valuable parameter of the three. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.750 for the initial measurement and 0.779 for the repeat measurement of WBC (p = 0.001). The most useful diagnostic parameter in discriminating between the simple and the advanced cases was IL-6 as assessed with the ROC curve (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: WBC elevation in patients with suspected acute appendicitis is an important parameter supporting the diagnosis at initial admission, whereas IL-6 is a more valuable tool in diagnosing advanced appendicitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Appendicitis during locoregional thermoradiotherapy of advanced or recurrent rectal and cervical cancer, a report of two cases.

INTRODUCTION: Local tumour control after irradiation alone for advanced, inoperable carcinomas of the bladder and rectum or inoperable recurrent cervical carcinoma is usually disappointing. Both preclinical and clinical studies reported improvements by adding hyperthermia to radiotherapy. Reports for phase II/III trials do not indicate any enhanced side effects. However, two cases of acute suppurating appendicitis were observed in a series of patients treated with deep regional hyperthermia. MATERIALS, METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty patients with advanced, inoperable, or recurrent rectal or recurrent cervical tumours were treated with deep regional hyperthermia (313 sessions) in addition to radiotherapy between September 1995 and October 1998. The treatment for two of these patients (2.5%) had to be discontinued after the fourth/second hyperthermia treatments at 19.8/10.8 Gy total dose, respectively, for symptoms of pain in the right pelvis and elevated rectal temperature. Both patients underwent laparotomy and were found to have suppurative appendicitis. In addition to the retrocoecal location in both patients, evidence of preexisting chronic appendicitis, and appendiceal faecalith were observed in each patient. CONCLUSION: The development of acute appendicitis in 2.5% of patients during a course of deep regional thermoradiotherapy for pelvic tumour is much higher than the expected incidence of appendicitis in the general population (< 1/1000) (Korner et al. 1997). An enhanced risk of suppurative appendicitis in patients undergoing pelvic thermoradiotherapy cannot be excluded, especially in retrocoecal located appendices with obstructed appendix lumen from preexisting chronic appendicitis or faecalith.

Appendicitis↗
PubMed2000

Why does the clinical diagnosis fail in suspected appendicitis?

OBJECTIVE: To identify systematic errors in surgeons' estimations of the importance of diagnostic variables in the decision to explore patients with suspected appendicitis. DESIGN: Prospective case series. SETTING: Two emergency departments, Sweden. PATIENTS: 496 patients with suspected appendicitis on admission, of whom 194 had a correct operation for appendicitis and 59 had a negative exploration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Predictors of a negative exploration expressed as the odds ratio (OR) for negative exploration. Variables influence on the decision to operate, expressed as the OR for operation, compared with the true diagnostic importance, expressed as the OR for appendicitis. RESULTS: Predictors of negative explorations were high ratings in variables describing pain and tenderness (patient's perceived pain, abdominal tenderness, rebound tenderness, guarding or rectal tenderness), weak or absent inflammatory response, female sex, long duration of symptoms and absence of vomiting, with OR of 1.8-3.0. Pain and tenderness had too strong an influence on the decision to operate whereas the lack of an inflammatory response, no vomiting, and long duration of symptoms were not given enough attention. There was no sex difference in the proportion of patients with non-surgical abdominal pain (NSAP) who were operated on, but NSAP was more common and appendicitis less common among women, leading to a larger proportion of negative appendicectomies among women. CONCLUSION: Negative explorations in patients with suspected appendicitis are related to systematic errors in the clinical diagnosis with too strong an emphasis on pain and tenderness, and too little attention paid to duration of symptoms and objective signs of inflammation. Rectal tenderness is not a sign of appendicitis. The risk of diagnostic errors is similar in men and women.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1997

Tc-99m-HMPAO white blood cell scan for diagnosis of acute appendicitis in patients with equivocal clinical presentation.

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to evaluate the accuracy of Technetium 99m-HMPAO-labeled leukocyte imaging for screening patients with atypically presenting appendicitis and to determine how availability of this test affected practice patterns of surgeons at the authors' medical center. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Appendicitis can be difficult to diagnose and in equivocal cases usually requires inpatient observation. The delay may increase morbidity and costs. A test that rules out acute appendicitis could be cost effective if it allowed early discharge from the emergency department. Previously, there have been no simple, rapid, accurate noninvasive methods for improving diagnostic accuracy in patients with equivocal presentations of appendicitis. METHODS: Patients referred to rule out appendicitis were analyzed. Patients were imaged up to 3 hours after injection of 10-mCi 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled autologous leukocytes (Tc-WBC), and when the scans became positive, imaging was terminated and the requesting physician notified of the results. Diagnostic accuracy was established by surgical and histopathologic findings or by absence of symptoms after 1 month clinical follow-up. The source of referral, hospital length of stay, disposition of patients, and ancillary tests (ultrasound, computed tomographic scan, and barium enema) were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four patients were studied from November 1991 through December 1995. Fifty-eight percent of positive scans showed uptake within 1 hour of injection and 73% by 2 hours. The Tc-WBC scan correctly identified an inflammatory source of abdominal pain in 65 of 66 cases (sensitivity = 98%) and was correctly negative in 55 of 58 cases (specificity = 95%). The scan correctly diagnosed appendicitis in 50 of 51 cases (sensitivity = 98%) and correctly excluded appendicitis in 62 of 73 cases (specificity = 85%). Outpatient referrals increased from 38% to 87%. In those patients with negativescans, inpatient observation, number of adjunctive tests, and length of stay decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The high sensitivity and negative predictive value of Tc-WBC imaging may permit patients to be screened and discharged from the emergency department. Focally positive scans often indicate disease requiring operation but not in all cases. The Tc-WBC imaging reduced the negative laparotomy rate to 3.9% while reducing admission rates and hospital length of stay.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Tc-99m HMPAO-labeled WBC scans to detect appendicitis in women.

Fifty female patients with acute abdomen and suspected appendicitis but atypical findings were included in this study. After intravenous injection of Tc-99m HMPAO-labeled WBCs, serial anterior abdominal/pelvic images at 30, 60, 120, and 240 minutes were obtained by a gamma camera. Any abnormal localization of WBC accumulation in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen with equal to or greater than bone marrow activity was considered as a positive scan. Thirty patients had positive WBC scans and underwent laparotomy, 28 had proven appendicitis, and 2 were not related to appendicitis. Twenty patients had negative WBC scans, 2 patients underwent laparotomy and were proved to have appendicitis. The remaining 18 patients did not undergo surgery and revealed no evidence of appendicitis after follow-up. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values for WBC scans to diagnose appendicitis is 93.3%, 90.0%, 92.0%, 93.3%, and 90.0%, respectively. In conclusion, Tc-99m HMPAO-labeled WBC imaging provides a rapid and highly accurate method for diagnosis of appendicitis in female patients with equivocal clinical examinations.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

CT of appendicitis in children.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to review the CT findings and to help define the role of CT in the evaluation of appendicitis in children. METHOD: Of 730 children with surgically proven appendicitis, 22 underwent preoperative CT evaluation. Their CT scans and operative and pathology records were retrospectively reviewed. The CT scans were evaluated for appendiceal wall thickness, diameter, and location, appendicoliths, pericecal inflammation, phlegmon, abscess, free fluid, small bowel dilatation, and bowel wall thickening. Criteria for diagnosing appendicitis were (a) appendiceal wall thickening (> 1 mm) or (b) presence of abscess, phlegmon, or pericecal inflammation associated with appendicolith(s). Prospective reports of ultrasound examinations performed within 2 days of the CT scans were available in 14 children and were correlated with the CT findings. RESULTS: An abnormally thickened appendix, with a diameter ranging from 9 to 18 mm, was seen in four children. Three appendices were retrocecal and one was near the cecal tip, anterior to the iliac vessels. Appendicoliths were present in 10 children, multiple in 1. Abscesses were seen in 13 of 22 children, multiple in 5. Phlegmon was seen in five children and pericecal inflammation in two. Bowel wall thickening was present in seven children and small bowel dilatation was noted in six. Other findings included free fluid, hydronephrosis, thickening of urinary bladder wall, air in the uterus and vagina, adenopathy, and thickening of the abdominal wall musculature. CT was diagnostic of appendicitis in 11 of 22 children (50%). In 14 children with both ultrasound and CT studies, CT was slightly better in diagnosing appendicitis and visualizing the abnormal appendix and was superior in defining the presence and extent of abscess and inflammation in 9 of 14 children. CONCLUSION: CT is a useful adjunct in diagnosing appendicitis in children, with a major role in cases of complicated appendicitis.

Abscess↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sensitivity and specificity of the individual CT signs of appendicitis: experience with 200 helical appendiceal CT examinations.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic value of individual signs at helical appendiceal CT. METHOD: Two hundred helical appendiceal CT scans (100 appendicitis and 100 normal appendix cases) were interpreted for individual signs of appendicitis. Scan findings were correlated with appendectomy or clinical follow-up results. RESULTS: Individual CT signs identified and their sensitivity and specificity, respectively, included fat stranding (100%, 80%), enlarged (> 6 mm) unopacified appendix (93%, 100%), focal cecal apical thickening (69%, 100%), adenopathy (62%, 66%), appendolith(s) (44%, 100%), arrowhead sign (23%, 100%), paracolic gutter fluid (18%, 86%), abscess (11%, 100%), cecal bar (10%, 100%), extraluminal air (8%, 97%), phlegmon (7%, 99%), ileal (3%, 86%) or sigmoid (3%, 95%) wall thickening, and diffuse cecal wall thickening (0%, 91%). CONCLUSION: Individual appendiceal CT signs of appendicitis vary in sensitivity, specificity, and thus diagnostic value. An enlarged appendix with periappendiceal fat stranding occurs in 93% of appendicitis CT cases. Less common but specific signs [cecal apical changes, appendolith(s) are usually present in the remaining appendicitis cases. Some signs seen with appendicitis (adenopathy, fat stranding, adjacent bowel wall thickening, fluid) can also be noted with alternative conditions, and in these cases normal appendix identification is the key to excluding appendicitis.

Abscess↗
PubMed1990

Anatomic basis for delayed diagnosis of appendicitis.

Gangrene or perforation of the appendix is often caused by failure to make an early diagnosis of appendicitis. Variability in the anatomic location of the appendix can be responsible for atypical manifestations of appendicitis and diagnostic errors. Over a 52-month period, 125 appendectomies were done for suspected appendicitis at a military hospital. After excluding cases in which the location of the appendix was not provided, 106 cases were available for review. Fifteen patients (14%) did not have appendicitis. The appendix was found in the true pelvis, was behind the ileum or ileocolic mesentery, or was both retrocolic and retroperitoneal in 11 of 16 patients (69%) with gangrenous or perforative appendicitis. In contrast, the appendix was in one of these three sites in only four of 75 patients (5%) with simple appendicitis (P less than .001). Both physicians and patients were responsible for diagnostic delays, but the paucity of symptoms and signs in patients with a "hidden" appendix was the most likely cause of failure to diagnose appendicitis before perforation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Age-related clinical features in older patients with acute appendicitis.

Acute appendicitis, the most common cause of abdominal surgical emergency, shows a different pathogenesis, clinical course and outcome in the elderly. Age-specific factors are effective on preoperative clinical diagnosis and on the stage of this infectious disease. We aimed to present our experience with a series of elderly patients with appendicitis who were subjected to appendectomy. Operative and hospital records of patients with appendicitis were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who were 50 years of age or older were the main constituents of the study. Demographic features, preoperative clinical diagnosis, abdominal interventions, and postoperative morbidity and mortality were analysed as the main criteria. A total of 109 older patients have constituted 4.3% of our appendectomy cases. Besides right lower quadrant transversal incisions, surgery was performed via vertical incisions in 28.4% of cases with a diagnosis of acute abdomen. In the elderly, the perforation rate was significantly higher than in paediatric and adult patients (P<0.001). The proportion of the elderly among perforated cases was significantly increased when compared with non-perforated cases (12.9 versus 2.9%; P<0.001). Postoperative morbidity was noted in 35.8% of elderly patients, in 73.8% of perforated, and in 11.9% of non-perforated cases (P<0.001). The mortality rate was 5.5% in the elderly group, 11.9% in patients with perforated, and 1.5% in patients with non-perforated appendicitis. No mortality was noted in patients younger than 50 years. The precise diagnosis of appendicitis is relatively low in the elderly. Despite the uncommon occurrence of appendicitis, the perforation rate is still unfavourable. Postoperative morbidity and mortality is unacceptably high. Advancing age adversely affects clinical diagnosis, the stage of disease and the outcome of patients. Perforated appendicitis and septic progression is the main cause of undesirable outcomes.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Different cytokine profiles in patients with a history of gangrenous or phlegmonous appendicitis.

Appendicitis is one of the most common and costly acute abdominal states of illnesses. Previous studies suggest two types of appendicitis which may be different entities, one which may resolve spontaneously and another that progresses to gangrene and perforation. Gangrenous appendicitis has a positive association to states of Th1 mediated immunity whereas Th2 associated immune states are associated with lower risk of appendicitis. This study investigated the inflammatory response pattern in patients previously appendicectomized for gangrenous (n = 7), or phlegmonous appendicitis (n = 8) and those with a non-inflamed appendix (n = 5). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analysed with ELISPOT analysis for number of spontaneous or antigen/mitogen stimulated IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 secreting cells or with ELISA for concentration of spontaneous or antigen/mitogen stimulated IFN-gamma, IL-5 and IL-10. Spontaneously IL-10 secreting cells/100,000 lymphocytes were increased in the gangrenous group compared to the phlegmonous group (P = 0.015). The median concentration of IL-10 secreted after Tetanus toxoid (TT)-stimulation were higher in the gangrenous group and the control group, than the phlegmonous group (P = 0.048 and P = 0.027, respectively). The median concentration of TT induced IFN-gamma secretion was higher for the gangrenous group compared to both the phlegmonous group and the control group (P = 0.037 and P = 0.003). Individuals with a history of gangrenous appendicitis demonstrated ability to increased IL-10 and IFN-gamma production. The increased IFN-gamma may support the notion of gangrenous appendicitis as an uncontrolled Th1 mediated inflammatory response and increased IL-10 may speculatively indicate the involvement of cytotoxic cells in the progression to perforation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Acute appendicitis in children.

A prospective study was conducted on 344 children aged from 3 months to 16 years with acute appendicitis. Most children presented with typical features of acute appendicitis (70%) or peritonitis (28%). Atypical presentation was uncommon and occurred only in seven young children, masquerading as intestinal obstruction, gastroenteritis or urinary tract infection. Prolonged delay in surgery was associated with a rise in incidence of late appendicitis (gangrenous and perforated appendicitis). This rise was especially marked 37 h after onset of symptoms. The main causes of delay were inability of the parents and primary care medical practitioners to recognize the disease early. Surgeons contributed very little to the delay. High risk factors for postappendectomy sepsis were young children under 6 years old, late appendicitis, obese patients, inferior systemic antibiotic regimes and inexperienced surgeons. Young children had high postoperative sepsis mainly because of the high incidence of late appendicitis due to their inability to express their symptoms properly. They were not especially prone to postappendectomy sepsis; they had the same degree of appendicitis compared with older children. Measures to decrease the postappendectomy morbidity are suggested.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Ultrasonography to evaluate adults for appendicitis: decision making based on meta-analysis and probabilistic reasoning.

OBJECTIVES: To review ultrasonography (US) test performance and to develop recommendations for the use of US to aid in the evaluation of potential appendicitis. METHODS: A meta-analysis was conducted using all English-language articles published since 1986 (17 studies; 3,358 patients) to ascertain sensitivity and specificity of US for diagnosing appendicitis in adults and teenagers. Calculation of the predictive value of US was performed for three groups of patients: group I--usually operated on (prevalence of appendicitis = 80%); group II--usually observed in hospital (prevalence = 40%); and group III--usually released home (prevalence 2%). RESULTS: Overall sensitivity was 84.7% (95% CI: 81.0-87.8%), and specificity 92.1% (88.0-95.2). The accuracy and usefulness of US were related to the likelihood of appendicitis. In group I, a positive test was accurate [positive predictive value (PPV) = 97.6%], but a negative study could not rule out appendicitis [negative predictive value (NPV) = 59.5%]. The converse was true for group III patients (PPV = 19.5%, NPV = 99.7%). Test performance accuracy was balanced only for group II patients (PPV = 87.3%, NPV = 89.9%). CONCLUSIONS: 1) US should not be used to exclude appendicitis for patients who have "classic" signs/symptoms, due to the underlying high false-negative rate. 2) US is most useful for patients who have an indeterminate probability of disease after the initial evaluation--if US is positive, the patient should have an operation; otherwise, he or she should be observed. 3) US is not recommended for screening patients who have a low probability of appendicitis, due to the low prevalence of disease and high false-positive rate in this group.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Differentiation of perforated from nonperforated appendicitis at CT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of five computed tomographic (CT) criteria in the differentiation of perforated from nonperforated appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scans of 94 patients with surgically proven appendicitis were classified on review as showing perforation if one of five CT findings was present. The authors calculated the sensitivity and specificity for each finding by comparing the predicted outcome to the surgical and pathologic outcome. RESULTS: The perforated group comprised 39 patients and the nonperforated group comprised 55 patients. Sensitivity for abscess, phlegmon, extraluminal air, extraluminal appendicolith, and focal defect in enhancing appendiceal wall individually were 36%, 46%, 36%, 21%, and 64%, respectively. Sensitivity for any one of the five findings was 94.9%. Specificities were 100% for all findings except for phlegmon (95%). Groups differed with respect to age: 47 years +/- 19 (mean +/- SD) for perforated appendicitis and 30 years +/- 13 for nonperforated appendicitis (P <.001). Groups also differed with respect to appendiceal diameter: 15 mm +/- 4.9 for perforated appendicitis and 12 mm +/- 3.3 for nonperforated appendicitis (P =.049). CONCLUSION: A dedicated search for five specific CT findings allowed an overall sensitivity of 94.9% for perforated appendicitis. Among findings with 100% specificity, a focal defect in the enhancing appendiceal wall achieved the highest sensitivity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Appendicitis: evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of US, Doppler US, and laboratory findings.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of ultrasonography (US), Doppler US, and laboratory findings in the diagnosis of appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 125 consecutive patients suspected of having appendicitis were prospectively included for US appendiceal (diameter enlarged to 6 mm or greater, intraluminal fluid, lack of compressibility) and periappendiceal (periileal inflammatory changes, cecal wall thickening, periileal lymph nodes, peritoneal fluid) evaluation, Doppler US evaluation (appendiceal wall signal), and laboratory assessment (leukocytosis, C-reactive protein [CRP]). Definite diagnoses were established at surgery in 61 patients, at endoscopy with biopsy in two patients, and at clinical follow-up in 62 patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of appendicitis was 46%. The appendix was identified with US in 86% of the patients, which included 96% of patients with and 72% of patients without appendicitis. The most accurate appendiceal finding for appendicitis was a diameter of 6 mm or larger, with a sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV of 98%. The lack of visualization of the appendix with US had an NPV of 90%. The most accurate periappendiceal finding of appendicitis was the presence of inflammatory fat changes, with an NPV of 91% and a PPV of 76%, whereas other findings had both NPV and PPV less than 65%. An increase in both white blood cell (WBC) count and CRP level had a PPV of 71%, whereas combined normal WBC count and CRP value had an NPV of 84%. CONCLUSION: A threshold 6-mm diameter of the appendix under compression is the most accurate US finding for appendicitis and has high NPV and PPV.

Adolescent↗