Evaluation of ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool for appendicitis in paediatric patients

Abstract

Background: Appendicitis is a common cause of acute abdomen in paediatric patients. Although various criteria have been suggested in early diagnosis of appendicitis, these are not as applicable in pediatric patients. Material and Methods: The present study was conducted on 120 paediatric patients with possible diagnosis of appendicitis at Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences and a tertiary care hospital over a period of one year. All of the patients underwent initial clinical evaluation followed by ultrasonography (USG), which was used to assess the existence of signs associated with appendicitis or its complications. USG Imaging findings were then compared in patients with and without complications. False positive, false negative, true positive, and true negative values were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in determining appendicitis was evaluated. Results: Of the 120 paediatric patients, 71 (59.2%) were male and 49 (40.8%) were female. There were also 71 (59.2%) true positive and 49 (40.8%) true negative cases based on ultrasonography findings. In our study, USG sensitivity was 94.4%, specificity was 91.8%, positive predictive value was 94.4%, and negative predictive value was 91.8%. Conclusion: Ultrasonography when used for the diagnosis of appendicitis in paediatric patients has optimal sensitivity and specificity in its diagnosis. Furthermore, it is a suitable, economical and non-invasive diagnostic tool for evaluating appendicitis and its complications.