BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common disease leading to emergency abdominal surgery. Many diagnostic tools have been evaluated. Abdominal ultrasonography is sensitive and specific which increase diagnostic accuracy in acute appendicitis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the abdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. METHOD: A total of 138 patients underwent surgical treatment for suspected appendicitis admitted to the Hospital Municipal Djalma Marques from January 1997 to December 1998. All abdominal ultrasonography examinations were performed at same hospital. There were 87 male (63.0%) and 51 female (37.0%), and their ages ranged from 11 to 81 years (mean 28.4 years). RESULTS: Of the 134 patients with proved appendicitis at surgery the ultrasonographic diagnosis was positive in 114 (sensitivity of 85.0%). The appendix was visualized on a longitudinal or transverse image > 7mm in 75 patients of the 114 positive findings (65.8%). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that abdominal ultrasonography examination is a valuable tool in diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
Acute appendicitis; Abdominal ultrasonography; Ultrasonographic diagnosis
