Alvarado scores and pain onset in relation to multislice CT findings in acute appendicitis
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Abdominal Imaging - Original Article
P: 14-18
March 2008

Alvarado scores and pain onset in relation to multislice CT findings in acute appendicitis

Diagn Interv Radiol 2008;14(1):14-18
1. Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
2. From the Departments of General Surgery, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
3. Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
4. From the Departments of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
5. From the Department of Radiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 15.05.2007
Accepted Date: 05.09.2007
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ABSTRACT

PURPOSE

To determine the correlation between clinical and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) findings of early- and late-stage acute appendicitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted between June 2003 and February 2006 with 143 patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to Alvarado scores: group 1 (n = 18; 13%; score: 1-4), group 2 (n = 70; 49%; score: 5-7), and group 3 (n = 55; 38%; score: 8-10). Abdominal MSCT results were compared to histopathological diagnoses. Patients were then divided into 2 other groups according to pain onset (MSCT performed within the first 12 h of pain onset and MSCT performed thereafter).

RESULTS

Histopathological findings were normal in 13 of the 143 patients (9%). The positive predictive value of MSCT did not significantly differ between the 3 Alvarado groups (92.8% in group 1, 95.1% in group 2, and 98.0% in group 3). Additionally, the positive predictive value of MSCT did not differ whether the scans were performed within the first 12 h of pain onset or thereafter (88% and 89%, respectively; P = 0.89).

CONCLUSION

MSCT should be performed even in patients in whom the clinical suspicion of appendicitis is low. MSCT is effective in patients with early-stage appendicitis.