appendicitis detection

    
      Re: appendicitis detection
    


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Posted by HFHSM.D.-rf on January 19, 1998 at 18:10:34:

In Reply to: appendicitis detection posted by Donna on January 17, 1998 at 21:41:09:

:   Would a CT Scan detect appendicitis?
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Dear Donna,
Patients with sudden onset of abdominal pain can sometimes have acute appendicits, a diagnosis that can be difficult to make because of the nonspecific nature of the symptoms.  The list of illnesses that can cause abdominal pain is quite extensive.  Some of these conditions require surgical intervention, whereas others can be managed by medical treatment.  The medical and surgical texts document that sometimes, because of uncertainty regarding the diagnosis, surgery is delayed and the appendix ruptures.  On other occasions, patients have unnecessary exploratory surgery and are found to have a normal appendix.  
Physicians require a noninvasive test that allows them to distinguish patients with abdominal pain due to appendicits from those who have nonsurgical causes for the pain. A number of different tests have been proposed.  Recently, CT scans have received attention as one possible test to distinguish among the different causes for abdominal pain.
Computed tomography is 93 to 98% accurate in confirming or ruling out appendicitis.  The highest accuracy has been reported with a form of scanning called helical CT scan.  In a recent study (New Engl J. of Medicine, Jan 1998), the investigators demonstrated that the interprertation of CT scans was 98% accurate in 100 consecutive patients who presented to the emergency room with signs and symptoms of acute appendicits.  In this study the results of the CT scan changed the management in 59% of cases.  The authors concluded that routine appendiceal CT scan performed in patients who present with suspected appendicitis improves patient care and reduces the use of hospital resources.  
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation.  Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health
HFHS M.D.-rf
keywords: abdominal pain, appendicitis, Ct scans
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