Appendicitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Appendicitis, including details on symptoms, surgery, causes, treatment.

Difficulties in the diagnosis of appendicitis: review of CT and US images.

Kosaka N, Sagoh T, Uematsu H, Kimura H, Yamamori S, Miyayama S, Itoh H

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910-1193, Japan. nkosaka@u-fukui.ac.jp

To determine the reasons for missing a distended appendix, we discuss cases of acute appendicitis in which either or both computed tomography (CT) and/or ultrasonography (US) initially failed to detect distended appendix. In some cases, distended appendices that were undetected on US were easily detected by CT, and vice versa. Failure to detect a distended appendix does not always eliminate the possibility of acute appendicitis.

Published 2 October 2007 in Emerg Radiol, 14(5): 289-95.
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