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Article: Diagnosing acute appendicitis: are we overusing radiologic investigations?

TitleDiagnosing acute appendicitis: are we overusing radiologic investigations?
Authors
KeywordsAppendicitis
Computer tomography
Diagnosis
Issue Date2008
PublisherWB Saunders Co. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jpedsurg
Citation
Journal Of Pediatric Surgery, 2008, v. 43 n. 12, p. 2239-2241 How to Cite?
AbstractPurpose: Acute appendicitis is the most common emergency presenting to pediatric surgeons. With proper history and thorough physical examination, the diagnosis of the condition clinically should approach 90%. With the increasing ease of performing radiologic investigations because of technological advances, more ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) are used to help diagnosing appendicitis. The aim of this study is to review the trend of diagnosing appendicitis in a single center and discuss the implications. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for all patients who were admitted with acute appendicitis between 1997 and 2007. The methods of diagnosis were divided into 3 groups as follows: clinical, ultrasound, and CT. The demographics and operative findings were noted. Statistical analysis was done using Fisher's Exact test and paired t test when appropriate. A value of P < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: During this period, a total of 254 patients (167 boys and 87 girls) were admitted with appendicitis. The average age at presentation was 12 years, and the mean duration of symptoms before presentation was 2 days. For 11 years, there was an initial rise of the use of ultrasound (10% in 1997 to a peak of 60% in 2005). This percentage decreased with a corresponding rise of the use of CT scan (0% in 1997 to 35% in 2007). There was no correlation found between the use of adjunct investigations and the severity of appendicitis found at operation, suggesting an overreliance of CT. Conclusion: It appears that there is an increasing trend in using radiologic investigations for the diagnosis of appendicitis for the past 11 years. With the association of cancer in later life and early radiation exposure well documented, it would be advisable to avoid the use of CT if possible. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/59933
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 2.4
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.949
ISI Accession Number ID
References

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorWong, KKYen_HK
dc.contributor.authorCheung, TWYen_HK
dc.contributor.authorTam, PKHen_HK
dc.date.accessioned2010-05-31T04:00:25Z-
dc.date.available2010-05-31T04:00:25Z-
dc.date.issued2008en_HK
dc.identifier.citationJournal Of Pediatric Surgery, 2008, v. 43 n. 12, p. 2239-2241en_HK
dc.identifier.issn0022-3468en_HK
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/59933-
dc.description.abstractPurpose: Acute appendicitis is the most common emergency presenting to pediatric surgeons. With proper history and thorough physical examination, the diagnosis of the condition clinically should approach 90%. With the increasing ease of performing radiologic investigations because of technological advances, more ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) are used to help diagnosing appendicitis. The aim of this study is to review the trend of diagnosing appendicitis in a single center and discuss the implications. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for all patients who were admitted with acute appendicitis between 1997 and 2007. The methods of diagnosis were divided into 3 groups as follows: clinical, ultrasound, and CT. The demographics and operative findings were noted. Statistical analysis was done using Fisher's Exact test and paired t test when appropriate. A value of P < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: During this period, a total of 254 patients (167 boys and 87 girls) were admitted with appendicitis. The average age at presentation was 12 years, and the mean duration of symptoms before presentation was 2 days. For 11 years, there was an initial rise of the use of ultrasound (10% in 1997 to a peak of 60% in 2005). This percentage decreased with a corresponding rise of the use of CT scan (0% in 1997 to 35% in 2007). There was no correlation found between the use of adjunct investigations and the severity of appendicitis found at operation, suggesting an overreliance of CT. Conclusion: It appears that there is an increasing trend in using radiologic investigations for the diagnosis of appendicitis for the past 11 years. With the association of cancer in later life and early radiation exposure well documented, it would be advisable to avoid the use of CT if possible. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.en_HK
dc.languageengen_HK
dc.publisherWB Saunders Co. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jpedsurgen_HK
dc.relation.ispartofJournal of Pediatric Surgeryen_HK
dc.subjectAppendicitisen_HK
dc.subjectComputer tomographyen_HK
dc.subjectDiagnosisen_HK
dc.titleDiagnosing acute appendicitis: are we overusing radiologic investigations?en_HK
dc.typeArticleen_HK
dc.identifier.openurlhttp://library.hku.hk:4550/resserv?sid=HKU:IR&issn=0022-3468&volume=43&issue=12&spage=2239&epage=2241&date=2008&atitle=Diagnosing+acute+appendicitis:+are+we+overusing+radiologic+investigations?en_HK
dc.identifier.emailWong, KKY: kkywong@hkucc.hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.emailTam, PKH: paultam@hkucc.hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.authorityWong, KKY=rp01392en_HK
dc.identifier.authorityTam, PKH=rp00060en_HK
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltexten_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.08.054en_HK
dc.identifier.pmid19040943-
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-56449085473en_HK
dc.identifier.hkuros153915en_HK
dc.relation.referenceshttp://www.scopus.com/mlt/select.url?eid=2-s2.0-56449085473&selection=ref&src=s&origin=recordpageen_HK
dc.identifier.volume43en_HK
dc.identifier.issue12en_HK
dc.identifier.spage2239en_HK
dc.identifier.epage2241en_HK
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000261853700022-
dc.publisher.placeUnited Statesen_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridWong, KKY=24438686400en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridCheung, TWY=36146902900en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridTam, PKH=7202539421en_HK
dc.identifier.issnl0022-3468-

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