Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

Objective: To evaluate the role of sonography in diagnosis ofacute appendicitis, with an emphasis on early evolution cases.Methods: From 240 cases with the diagnosis of appendicitis, aretrospective study of 149 patients submitted to appendicectomyat the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, in 2002, w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Luciano Augusto Botter, George Rachid Oliveira, Janos Lima de Farias, Alexandre Maurano, Rodrigo Gobbo Garcia, Marcos Roberto de Queiroz, Marcelo Rocha Silva, Miguel José Francisco Neto, Marcelo Buarque Gusmão Funari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein 2005-09-01
Series:Einstein (São Paulo)
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Online Access:http://www.einstein.br/revista/biblioteca/artigos/vol3/num_3/Vol3_N3_P185.pdf
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Summary:Objective: To evaluate the role of sonography in diagnosis ofacute appendicitis, with an emphasis on early evolution cases.Methods: From 240 cases with the diagnosis of appendicitis, aretrospective study of 149 patients submitted to appendicectomyat the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, in 2002, was carried out.The appendix of these 149 patients was visualized in apreoperative sonography and the diagnosis was confirmed byhistological examination. Patients were distributed into twogroups - initial and advanced - according to the measure of thelargest external diameter of the appendix. The statistical dataanalysis included demographic information (sex and age) anddirect and indirect signs of acute appendicitis. Results: Therewere more cases of acute appendicitis in the groups aged 10-30years, mean age of 18.3 years in the initial group and 26.4 yearsin the advanced group. There was no statistically significantdifference regarding sex. The advanced group presented 4.5%of false-positive results and the initial group, 23.1%. Among thedirect signs, non-compressibility of the appendix stood out andwas observed in more than half cases; with regard to indirectsigns, hyperechogenicity of periappendiceal tissues wasobserved in up to 75% of cases in both groups. Conclusion: Therewas a statistically significant difference in false-positive cases,which were more often observed in the initial group. Therefore,sonographic follow-up is recommended in these cases.
ISSN:1679-4508