Sonography in the Evaluation of Acute Appendicitis

Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the negative predictive value (NPV) of sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods. Right lower quadrant sonograms of 193 patients (158 female and 35 male; age range, 3–20 years) with suspected acute appendicitis over a 1‐year period were retrospectively reviewed. Sonographic findings were graded on a 5‐point scale, ranging from a normal appendix identified (grade 1) to frankly acute appendicitis (grade 5). Sonographic findings were compared with subsequent computed tomographic (CT), surgical, and pathologic findings. The diagnostic accuracy of sonography was assessed considering surgical findings and clinical follow‐up as reference standards. Results. Forty‐nine patients (25.4%) had appendicitis on sonography, and 144 (74.6%) had negative sonographic findings. Computed tomographic scans were obtained in 51 patients (26.4%) within 4 days after sonography. These included 39 patients with negative and 12 with positive sonographic findings. Computed tomography changed the sonographic diagnosis in 10 patients: from negative to positive in 3 cases and positive to negative in 7. Forty‐three patients (22.2%) underwent surgery. The surgical findings were positive for appendicitis in 37 (86%) of the 43 patients who had surgery. Patients with negative sonographic findings who, to our knowledge, did not have subsequent CT scans or surgery were considered to have negative findings for appendicitis. Seven patients with negative sonographic findings underwent surgery and had appendicitis; therefore, 137 of 144 patients with negative sonographic findings did not have appendicitis. On the basis of these numbers, the NPV was 95.1%. Conclusions. Sonography has a high NPV and should be considered as a reasonable screening tool in the evaluation of acute appendicitis. Further imaging could be performed if clinical signs and symptoms worsen.     

Acute appendicitis mimicking infectious enteritis: diagnostic value of sonography.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the role of sonography in screening of acute appendicitis in patients admitted to an infectious disease unit for suspected acute infectious enteritis. METHODS: One hundred eighty consecutive patients (102 male and 78 female; age range, 5-72 years; mean age, 31 years) admitted for suspected infectious enteritis or typhoid fever were prospectively studied with abdominal sonography within 48 hours after admission. None of the patients had peritoneal irritation. Forty-six patients (25%) had white blood cell counts of more than 10,000/mm3 (range, 10,300-18,000/mm3). The diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made when a detectable appendix with an anteroposterior diameter of greater than 7 mm could be seen on sonography. RESULTS: Eleven (6%) of 180 patients had thickened appendixes (anteroposterior diameter range, 7-14 mm); 2 of them had periappendiceal abscesses. Four (36%) of 11 patients with acute appendicitis had high white blood cell counts. All sonographic diagnoses of acute appendicitis and periappendiceal abscesses were confirmed at surgery. Sonography ruled out acute appendicitis in 169 patients. In all of them, clinical and sonographic follow-up excluded the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Normal appendixes were shown on sonography in 38 (22%) of 169 cases and were not detectable in 131 (78%) of 169. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography of the appendix is a useful method for early assessment of acute appendicitis in patients thought to have enteritis or typhoid fever.     

Transvaginal sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate transvaginal sonography with power Doppler capacity in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and in discriminating appendicitis from pelvic inflammatory disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We describe transvaginal sonographic findings of six women with acute appendicitis selected from 31 women seen in an emergency room setting for clinically suspected pelvic inflammatory disease. The study population underwent gray-scale transvaginal sonography, and specific sonographic landmark findings for acute appendicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease were used. Hyperemia of any infectious complex was identified by power Doppler. Laparoscopy was performed after transvaginal sonography and was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: Laparoscopy showed acute appendicitis in six (19%) of the 31 patients. A thick walled non-compressible gas-containing tubular structure with a diameter exceeding 6 mm was seen by transvaginal sonography in four of the six cases, consistent with uncomplicated appendicitis. A heterogeneous complex with surrounding hyperechogenic soft tissue was seen in two cases with gangrenous appendicitis. Power Doppler detected hyperemia in all six cases. Normal adnexal structures were imaged next to the inflamed appendix. The sonographic criteria consistent with acute appendicitis were clearly different from those of acute pelvic inflammatory disease. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal sonography provides an opportunity to distinguish between appendicitis and acute pelvic inflammatory disease. Prospective trials are needed in order to evaluate the impact of transvaginal sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.     

Differential diagnoses of magnetic resonance imaging for suspected acute appendicitis in pregnant patients

BACKGROUND: Accurate and timely diagnosis of acute surgical disease in pregnant patient is challenging. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate modality to diagnose acute appendicitis in pregnant patients, it is often used as a last resort because of high cost and long scan time. We performed this study to analyze differential diagnoses of appendix MRI and to investigate if there are any blood tests that can predict surgical condition in pregnant patients.METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 46 pregnant patients who underwent non-enhanced appendix MRI in suspicion of acute appendicitis from 2010 to 2016. Differential diagnoses of appendix MRI were analyzed and blood tests were compared between those who had surgical and non-surgical disease.RESULTS: Appendix MRI differentiated two surgical disease; acute appendicitis and ovarian torsion; and various non-surgical conditions such as uterine myoma, hydronephrosis, ureterolithiasis and diverticulitis among clinically suspected acute appendicitis in pregnancy. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI for acute appendicitis in this study was 93.5%. Patients who had surgical disease showed significantly higher WBC count (≥11,000/mm³), proportion of neutrophils in the WBC (≥79.9%), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR≥6.4), levels of C-reactive protein (CRP≥1.82 mg/dL) and bilirubin (≥0.66 mg/dL ) than those who had non-surgical disease.CONCLUSION: MRI can reliably differentiate surgical conditions and several blood tests (WBC, proportion of neutrophils in the WBC, NLR, CRP, bilirubin) can help anticipate acute surgical condition among pregnant patients suspected to have acute appendicitis.     

Saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography in clinically equivocalacute appendicitis

Background: To establish the value of saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography in the the diagnosis of clinically equivocal acute appendicitis. Methods: Saline-filled ultrasonography was performed in 43 patients with an equivocal clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Results: Sonography diagnosed 31 of 32 patients without acute appendicitis (97%). A normal appendix was visualized in 15 patients (47%), and we identified a normal appendix in 15 of 22 patients (68%) in whom the colon was cleansed with Golytely?. Sonography diagnosed 10 of 11 patients with acute appendicitis (91%). In three of 10 patients, the findings corresponded to sonographic pitfalls. Conclusion: Saline-filled appendiceal ultrasonography enables the detection of a normal appendix and may overcome sonographic pitfalls in acute appendicitis. Received: 2 June 1995/Accepted: 18 July 1995     

Granulomatous appendicitis presenting as right lower quadrant pain: CT findings

Background: We present the computed tomographic (CT) findings of granulomatous appendicitis. Methods: Five of 652 (0.9%) patients who had undergone appendectomy for clinically suspected acute appendicitis over a 19-month period proved to have granulomatous appendicitis. One patient had surgery based on a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Four patients (three men and one woman; age range = 14–39 years) underwent abdominal CT. The CT findings were retrospectively reviewed with special attention to the appendiceal abnormalities. Results: All four patients presented with subacute clinical presentation. Enlarged appendices of 4.5 and 2 cm in diameter with thickened walls of soft tissue density were found in two patients, and periappendicular inflammatory masses were found in the other two. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and right lower quadrant fat stranding was seen in all four patients. Histopathology showed numerous granulomas within the inflamed appendix. Conclusion: Radiologists should be familiar with the rare entity of granulomatous appendicitis in patients examined by CT for suspected acute appendicitis. An insidious clinical presentation with CT findings of an exceptionally large appendix and associated periappendiceal inflammatory changes should raise the possibility of granulomatous appendicitis or carcinoma or lymphoma of the appendix.     

MR imaging in the triage of pregnant patients with acute abdominal and pelvic pain

Purpose  To retrospectively assess the performance of MR imaging in the evaluation and triage of pregnant patients presenting with acute abdominal or pelvic pain. Method and materials  MRI studies of pregnant patients who were referred for acute abdominal pain between 2001 and 2007 were included. MR images were retrospectively reviewed and compared with surgical and pathologic findings and clinical follow-up data. Analysis of imaging findings included evaluation of the visceral organs, bowel and mesentery, appendix (for presence of appendicitis), ovaries (detection and adnexal masses were evaluated), focal inflammation, presence of abscesses, and any other abnormal findings. Results  A total of 118 pregnant patients were included. MR findings were inconclusive in 2 patients and were positive for acute appendicitis in 11 patients (n = 9 confirmed by surgery, n = 2 improved without surgery). One patient with inconclusive MR had surgically confirmed appendicitis; the other patient with inconclusive MR had surgically confirmed adnexal torsion. Other surgical/interventional diagnoses suggested by MR imaging were adnexal torsion (n = 4), abscess (n = 4), acute cholecystitis (n = 1), and gastric volvulus (n = 1). Two patients with MR diagnosis of torsion improved without surgery. One patient with MR diagnosis of abscess had biliary cystadenoma at surgery. The rest of the MR diagnoses above were confirmed surgically or interventionally. MR imaging was normal in 67 patients and demonstrated medically treatable etiology in 28 patients: adnexal lesions (n = 9), urinary pathology (n = 6), cholelithiasis (n = 4), degenerating fibroid (n = 3), DVT (n = 2), hernia (n = 1), colitis (n = 1), thick terminal ileum (n = 1), rectus hematoma (n = 1). Three of these patients had negative surgical exploration and one had adnexal mass excision during pregnancy. Other patients were discharged with medical treatment. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive values (ppv), and negative predictive values (npv) of MR imaging for acute appendicitis, and surgical/ interventional diagnoses were 90.0% vs. 88.9%, 98.1% vs. 95.0%, 97.5% vs. 94.1%, 81.8% vs. 76.2%, 99.1% vs. 97.9%, respectively. Conclusion  MR imaging is an excellent modality for diagnosis of acute appendicitis and exclusion of diseases requiring surgical/interventional treatment. Therefore MR imaging is useful for triage of pregnant patients with acute abdominal and pelvic pain.     

Sonography of acute appendicitis in childhood: perforation versus nonperforation.

We evaluated the sonographic findings in 133 consecutive children referred for suspected appendicitis. Fifty-eight of these patients (44%) ultimately underwent surgery, with 54 of these proved to have acute appendicitis. Thirty-one (58%) of the 54 had nonperforated appendicitis, and 23 (43%) had evidence of perforation. Previously described sonographic findings that have been employed in the diagnosis of appendicitis were evaluated, with the presence or absence of these findings being compared in patients with non-perforated and perforated appendicitis. In those patients who did not undergo surgery, the following findings were documented and compared to the findings in patients with proved appendicitis: (1) an identifiable appendix and its sonographic characteristics, (2) fluid localized to the right peritoneal reflection or periappendiceal region, or both, (3) free pelvic fluid, and (4) right lower quadrant adenopathy. Our results suggest that high-resolution, real-time sonography, using graded compression, is very sensitive in the identification of acute nonperforated appendicitis. Perforated appendicitis, however, can be a more difficult diagnosis because the appendix frequently decompresses with perforation and yet may not "wall off" or form a well-defined abscess. As a result, the appendix can be very difficult to identify.     

Acute appendicitis and diagnostic value of sonography: A prospective study of 77 surgically proven cases

We present the results of a prospective study on 122 patients referred for suspected acute appendicitis. In total, 77 patients had surgically proven appendicitis. Of these 77 patients, sonography showed typical signs of appendicitis and/or peri-appendicular abscess in 57 cases (true positives); in the remaining 20 patients neither the inflamed appendix nor any related abnormal finding could be detected pre-operatively (false negatives). Forty-five patients were subsequently shown to have other disorders (related to the urinary or digestive tract, or to the female reproductive system); the final diagnoses were based on surgical findings in 16 patients, and on a combination of clinical, imaging and laboratory findings in the remaining 29 patients. In all these patients, no sonographic evidence of appendicitis was detected (true negatives), whereas in 33 cases the US exam was able to detect abnormal findings related to other conditions, thus suggesting a correct diagnosis. In the authors' experience, sonography has a good accuracy in diagnosing acute appendicitis. The sensitivity (75%) and specificity (100%) values were similar among the different examiners and in overall agreement with the literature data.     

超声检查的阴性预测值对排除急性阑尾炎的临床应用价值

目的探讨超声检查的阴性预测值对排除急性阑尾炎的临床应用价值。方法回顾性分析临床上怀疑为急性阑尾炎的241例患者的超声声像图表现,根据声像图特点将其分为4级,再将超声检查结果与外科手术及病理结果进行比较。结果 241例患者中超声诊断阳性结果93例(2、3、4级),最终发现13例为假阳性结果;148例阴性结果(1级)中7例因临床症状及体征明显行手术治疗,病理结果均提示为急性单纯性阑尾炎。超声诊断急性阑尾炎的敏感度为91.95%(80/87),特异度为91.56%(141/154),阴性预测值为95.27%(141/148),阳性预测值为86.02%(80/93),准确性为91.70%(221/241)。结论超声检查具有较高的阴性预测值,可有效地排除阑尾炎,同时或可发现引起患者急性腹痛的其他病因,因此在急性右下腹痛患者的诊断和鉴别诊断中具有非常重要的作用。     

The gas-containing appendix: potential sonographic pitfall in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

The presence of gas within the appendix on plain abdominal radiographs is nonspecific and may or may not be associated with acute appendicitis. This finding, however, has not previously been reported with graded compression sonography of the right lower quadrant. Gas within the appendix was identified in four of 154 patients with a visualized appendix. All four patients had surgically confirmed acute appendicitis. Diagnostic difficulties were encountered in three of these four patients. In two patients, the findings were misinterpreted as an extraluminal gas-forming periappendiceal abscess. In an additional patient, the gas-filled appendix was initially mistaken for a segment of normal terminal ileum. The gas-filled appendix is a potential pitfall in the sonographic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, if other diagnostic criteria are met, gas within the appendix should not preclude establishing a sonographic diagnosis of appendicitis.     

急性阑尾炎彩色多普勒超声检查的回顾性研究

目的：评估彩色多普勒超声检查是否有助于早期急性阑尾炎的诊断,是否有助于鉴别在工维图像步能用阑尾大小来确定的急性阑尾炎和正常阑尾。材料与方法：回顾性分析98例临床疑为急必阑尾炎病人术前彩色多普勒超声检查表现。结果：20例阑尾壁未见彩色多普勒血流信号,72例均可见,6例未见明显彩色多普勒血流信号。结论：早期急性阑尾炎在阑尾炎在阑尾壁上均可见代表充血的彩色多普勒血流信号,表明彩色多普勒超声检查有助于早期急性阑尾炎的诊断,有助于鉴别在二维图像上不能用阑尾大小来确定的急性阑尾炎和正常阑尾。     

Improved sonographic visualization of the appendix with a saline enema in children with suspected appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether abdominal sonography after a saline enema can identify the appendix that is not visualized at graded compression sonography in children with suspected appendicitis. METHODS: High-frequency compression sonography was prospectively performed in 120 consecutive children with suspected appendicitis; the appendix was not identified in 27 of these patients. Among the 27 patients with a nonvisualized appendix, abdominal sonography after a saline enema was performed in 12 to identify the appendix. RESULTS: Abdominal sonography after the saline enema revealed the appendix in all 12 children in whom the appendix was not visualized at graded compression sonography. A normal appendix was found in 11 children, and acute appendicitis confined to the appendiceal tip was found in 1. The appendix was located in the pelvis (n = 5), posterior to the cecum (n = 4), posterior to the ileum (n = 2), and anterior to the ileum (n = 1). The appendix could be identified by using a window of the saline-filled sigmoid colon (n = 5), saline-filled cecum (n = 4), and saline-filled terminal ileum (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal sonography after a saline enema is a helpful technique for depiction of the appendix that is not visible at graded compression sonography in children with suspected appendicitis. Key words: appendix, sonography; appendicitis; children, gastrointestinal tract.     

Is Fetal Anatomic Assessment on Follow‐up Antepartum Sonograms Clinically Useful?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a fetal anatomic survey on follow-up antepartum sonograms. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted at a low-risk maternity clinic from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006. Eligible women had at least 1 prior sonographic examination beyond 18 weeks' gestation with a complete and normal fetal anatomic assessment and at least 1 follow-up sonogram. Full fetal anatomic surveys were performed on all follow-up sonograms regardless of the indication. Neonatal charts were reviewed for those patients whose follow-up sonograms revealed unanticipated fetal anomalies. Neonatal intervention was defined as surgical or medical therapy or arranged subspecialty follow-up specifically for the suspected fetal anomaly. RESULTS: Of a total of 4269 sonographic examinations performed, 437 (10.2%) were follow-up studies. Of these, 101 (23.1%) were excluded because the initial sonogram revealed a suspected fetal anomaly, and 42 (9.8%) were excluded for other reasons. Of the remaining 294 women, 21 (7.1%) had an unanticipated fetal anomaly, most often renal pyelectasis. Compared with follow-up sonography for other reasons, repeated sonography for fetal growth evaluation yielded a higher incidence of unexpected fetal anomalies: 15 (12.3%) of 122 versus 6 (3.5%) of 172 (P = .01). When compared with the neonates in the nongrowth indications group, those neonates whose mothers had sonographic examinations for fetal growth had a higher rate of neonatal interventions: 6 (40.0%) of 15 versus 0 (0%) of 6 (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: A fetal anatomic survey on follow-up sonograms may identify unanticipated fetal anomalies, especially when the indication is for fetal growth.     

Comparison between technetium 99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxide labeled white blood cell abdominal scan and abdominal sonography to detect appendicitis in adult patients with atypical clinical presentation

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is much more serious in the elderly, and early diagnosis is very important. However, the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in older patients is often difficult because these patients may present with atypical clinical manifestations. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate and compare the value of technetium 99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxide (Tc 99m HMPAO) labeled white blood cell (WBC) abdominal scan and abdominal sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in older patients with an atypical clinical presentation. Forty-nine patients (age > 50 years) with acute abdominal pain and suspected appendicitis, but with atypical findings, were included in this study. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients received laparotomy for final surgical and pathologic diagnoses. The remaining 22 patients did not receive surgery and showed no evidence of appendicitis after at least 1 month of follow-up. Two patients had false-positive WBC scan findings and two patients had false-negative WBC scan findings. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for WBC scans in diagnosing appendicitis were 92.0%, 91.7%, and 91.8%, respectively. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for abdominal sonography in diagnosing appendicitis were 84.0%, 95.8%, and 89.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Tc 99m HMPAO WBC scan provides a more sensitive and accurate method for diagnosing appendicitis in older patients with equivocal clinical examinations when compared with abdominal sonography.     

CT诊断高位急性阑尾炎

目的 分析高位急性阑尾炎的临床表现和CT特征,探讨CT诊断高位急性阑尾炎的价值.方法 回顾性分析经手术证实和临床、CT随访证实的高位急性阑尾炎21例.采用16排CT扫描机进行急诊腹部平扫检查,扫描范围分别为上腹、上中腹、中下腹和全腹.由2名放射科医师分别对图像进行分析.结果 21例中,14例(14/21,66.67%)...     

Acute Abdomen in Pregnancy

Objective. The purpose of this presentation is to review the role of sonography in evaluation of acute abdomen during pregnancy. Methods. Illustrative cases were collected from gravid patients who presented with signs and symptoms suspicious for acute abdomen and subsequently underwent sonography. Results. This presentation shows sonographic findings of various maternal complications that can present with acute abdominal pain in pregnant patients. Conclusions. Sonography remains the first line of imaging in pregnant patients presenting with acute abdomen. Patient triage or additional imaging may be obtained on the basis of the sonographic findings.     

多层螺旋CT对急性阑尾炎的诊断价值

目的探讨多层螺旋CT（MSCT）对急性阑尾炎的诊断价值。方法收集临床疑诊和／或经手术和病理证实为急性阑尾炎患者35例，回顾分析其CT表现。结果26例确诊急性阑尾炎病例中主要CT征象有：阑尾肿大24例（92％），阑尾粪石10例（38％），回盲部肥厚12例（46％），阑尾周围炎20例（77％），局限性脓肿2例（8％）。对照手术病理，MSCT诊断急性阑尾炎准确率89％、敏感性92％、特异度74％、阳性预测值92％、阴性预测值71％。结论MSCT显著提高了急性阑尾炎的术前诊断能力，应成为临床首选的影像学检查方法。     

急性阑尾炎术前超声定位的临床应用及其价值

目的 探讨急性阑尾炎术前超声定位和体表标记法的临床应用及其价值。方法 选取68例经超声检查已明确显示病变阑尾的患者，在超声观察下用防水色笔描记阑尾在腹壁相应体表投影的整体形态，手术切口3cm限定于阑尾的体表投影处，将超声定位结果与手术病理检查结果相比较。结果 超声诊断急性阑尾炎68例，术前超声对病变阑尾的定位均与手术所见相符，其中阑尾盆位14例，盲肠下位13例，盲肠后位11例，回盲前位14例，回盲后位11例，异位阑尾5例。术前超声定位使阑尾切除手术操作方便，明显缩短了术中寻找阑尾的时间，患者出血少，术后恢复快。结论 术前超声定位为症状典型和非典型急性阑尾炎诊断及外科处理提供了客观的影像依据，有助于手术医师在阑尾切除术中快速找到阑尾顺利完成手术。     

穿孔性阑尾炎CT征象

目的 探讨阑尾穿孔具有诊断价值的CT征象。方法 回顾性分析205例经手术病理证实的穿孔性和非穿孔性阑尾炎患者的CT图像。观察12项急性阑尾炎的CT征象,采用χ²检验筛选可用于鉴别诊断穿孔性与非穿孔性阑尾炎的CT征象,评价这些征象的敏感度、特异度和准确率。采用Logistic回归分析法分析阑尾穿孔最具诊断价值的CT征象。结果 205例中,40例(40/205,19.51%)阑尾穿孔与165例(165/205,80.49%)阑尾未穿孔患者间,脓肿、阑尾壁强化缺损、蜂窝织炎、阑尾腔外积气、阑尾腔外粪石差异均有统计学意义(P均<0.05),各征象鉴别诊断穿孔性和非穿孔性阑尾炎的敏感度、特异度和准确率依次分别为:脓肿80.00%(32/40)、97.58%(161/165)、94.15%(193/205),阑尾壁强化缺损50.00%(20/40)、98.79%(163/165)、89.27%(183/205),蜂窝织炎37.50%(15/40)、95.76%(158/165)、84.39%(173/205),阑尾腔外积气27.50%(11/40)、99.39%(164/165)、85.37%(175/205),阑尾腔外粪石5.00%(2/40)、100.00%(165/165)、81.46%(167/205),Logistic回归分析显示脓肿、阑尾壁强化缺损与阑尾穿孔相关(Wald=33.21、16.19,P均<0.001)。结论 脓肿、阑尾壁强化缺损是阑尾穿孔最有诊断价值的CT征象。