The Role of Sonography in Imaging Suspected Appendicitis

George Tsoukatos, BPS, R.T.(R)(ARRT)®

^*Medical Imaging Consultant, Germantown, NY             

Address correspondence to: George Tsoukatos, BPS, R.T.(R)(ARRT)^®, Radiology Support Services, PO Box 215, Germantown, NY 12526. E-mail: radiologytechnique@gmail.com.

Disclosure Statement: The author reports having no significant financial or advisory relationships with corporate organizations related to this activity.

ABSTRACT

Acute appendicitis is an emergency medical condition that most often effects patients between the ages of 5 and 45 years of age, with men having slightly higher predisposition for developing the condition compared to women, with a lifetime incidence of 8.6% and 6.7%, respectively. Without immediate assessment and treatment, the appendix often ruptures, leading to abdominal peritonitis. Since most patients with possible appendicitis present in emergency situations, it is important that all members of the healthcare team, including sonographers and radiologic technologists, be familiar with how the appendix appears in various radiologic examinations and studies. Sonography is often used to increase diagnostic accuracy in patients who present with atypical symptoms, leading to a decrease in the number of patients who undergo unnecessary appendectomies. Combined with other laboratory tests and physical examinations, the use of sonography to diagnose appendicitis has proven to be an effective imaging strategy for patients with suspected appendicitis. The purpose of this course is to highlight the benefits of using sonography for imaging patients with possible appendicitis, identify how the appendix appears on sonographic images, how best to position patients undergoing this study, and the role that color Doppler and strain elastography also play in managing patients with this disease.