European Journal of Radiology
Volume 74, Issue 1 , Pages 67-70 , April 2010

Improving the false-negative rate of CT in acute appendicitis—Reassessment of CT images by body imaging radiologists: A blinded prospective study

  • Pieter Poortman

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Waterland hospital Purmerend, Postbus 250, 1440 AG, Purmerend, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 299 457457.
    • ,
  • Paul N.M. Lohle

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
    • Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 135391313.
    • ,
  • Cees M. Schoemaker

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
    • Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 135391313.
    • ,
  • Miguel A. Cuesta

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, VU Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 204444444.
    • ,
  • Henk J.M. Oostvogel

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
    • Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 135391313.
    • ,
  • Elly S.M. de Lange-de Klerk

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 20 4444474.
    • ,
  • Jaap F. Hamming

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
    • Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 715269111.

Received 21 November 2008 ,Accepted 23 December 2008.

References 

  1. Doria AS, Moineddin R, Kellenberger CJ, et al. US or CT for diagnosis of appendicitis in children and adults? A meta-analysis. Radiology. 2006;241:83–94
  2. Lowe LH, Draud KS, Hernanz-Schulman M, et al. Nonenhanced limited CT in children suspected of having appendicitis: prospective comparison of attending and resident interpretations. Radiology. 2001;221:755–759
  3. Albano MC, Ross GW, Ditchek JJ. Resident interpretation of emergency CT scans in the evaluation of acute appendicitis. Acad Radiol. 2001;8:915–918
  4. Keyzer C, Zalcman M, De Maertelaer V, et al. Comparison of US and unenhanced multi-detector row CT in patients suspected of having acute appendicitis. Radiology. 2005;236:527–534
  5. Wise SW, Labuski MR, Kasales CJ, et al. Comparative assessment of CT and sonographic techniques for appendiceal imaging. AJR. 2001;176:933–941
  6. Ceydeli A, Lavotshkin S, Yu J, Wise L. When should we order a CT scan and when should we rely on the results to diagnose acute appendicitis?. Curr Surg. 2006;63:465–486
  7. Poortman P, Lohle PN, Schoemaker MC, et al. Comparison of CT and sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis: a blinded prospective study. AJR. 2003;181:1355–1359
  8. Otero HJ, Ondategui-Parra S, Erturk SM, Ochoa RE, Gonzalez-Beicos A, Ros PR. Imaging utilization in the management of appendicitis and its impact on hospital charges. Emerg Radiol. 2008;15:23–28
  9. Raman SS, Osuagwu FC, Kadell B, Cryer H, Sayre J, Lu DS. Effect of CT on false positive diagnosis of appendicitis and perforation. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:972–973
  10. Rao PM, Rhea JT, Novelline RA, Mostafavi AA, McCabe CJ. Effect of computed tomography of the appendix on treatment of patients and use of hospital resources. N Engl J Med. 1998;338:141–146
  11. in ‘t Hof KH, van Lankeren W, Krestin GP, et al. Surgical validation of unenhanced helical computed tomography in acute appendicitis. Br J Surg. 2004;91:1641–1645
  12. Perez J, Barone JE, Wilbanks TO, Jorgensson D, Corvo PR. Liberal use of computed tomography scanning does not improve diagnostic accuracy in appendicitis. Am J Surg. 2003;185:194–197
  13. Balthazar E, Birnbaum B, Yee J, Megibow A, Roshkow J. Gray C: acute appendicitis: CT and US correlation in 100 patients. Radiology. 1994;190:31–35
  14. Daly CP, Cohan RH, Francis IR, Caoili EM, Ellis JH, Nan B. Incidence of acute appendicitis in patients with equivocal CT findings. AJR. 2005;184:1813–1820
  15. Huyn V, Lalezarzadeh F, Lawandy S, Wong DT, Joe VC. Abdominal computed tomography in the evaluation of acute and perforated appendicitis in the community setting. Am Surg. 2007;73:1002–1005
  16. Reinus WR. American radiology and outsourcing. Radiology. 2007;242:654–657

PII: S0720-048X(08)00689-X

doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.12.012

European Journal of Radiology
Volume 74, Issue 1 , Pages 67-70 , April 2010

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