ArticlePediatric surgery international2023
The utility of sonographic signs to diagnose simple and complicated appendicitis in children.
Article in Pediatric surgery international, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Ultrasound and computed tomography in differentiating between simple and complicated appendicitis in pediatric patients.Pediatric surgery international · 2024Pooled it
- A Simple Preoperative Scoring System for Risk Stratification of Complicated Appendicitis in Children.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Postoperative outcomes following institutional antibiotic protocol changes in complicated pediatric appendicitis.World journal of pediatric surgery · 2026Article
- Application value of abdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of pediatric patients aged 3-12 years with acute appendicitis.World journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2025Article
- Using a sum of the cross diameters of the appendix measured on ultrasonography as a criterion can more effectively predict acute appendicitis.European radiology · 2025Article
- Risk factors for acute complicated appendicitis in children aged three years and younger.BMC pediatrics · 2024Article
- Associations between Th1-related cytokines and complicated pediatric appendicitis.Scientific reports · 2024Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundAcute appendicitis is classified into simple (SA) and complicated (CA). Ultrasound scans (USS) can be useful in clinically equivocal cases, by visualising primary and secondary signs. This study explores the utility of sonographic signs to diagnose and differentiate appendicitis in children.
methodsSingle-centre retrospective cohort study over a 2-year period. Consecutive USS for suspected appendicitis were included; sonographic signs were extracted from standardised institutional worksheets. USS results were compared with pre-defined intraoperative criteria for SA and CA, confirmed with histological analysis. Data are reported as median [interquartile range], percentages (number), area under the curve (AUC), conventional diagnostic formulae and adjusted odds ratios following multiple logistic regression (p < 0.05 considered significant).
resultsA total of 934 USS were included, with median age 10.7 [8.0-13.4] years, majority were female (54%). One quarter (n = 226) had SA, 12% (n = 113) had CA, 61% (n = 571) had no appendectomy and 3% (n = 24) had negative appendicectomy. Appendix visualisation rate on USS was 61% (n = 569), with 62% (n = 580) having a conclusive report. Sonographic signs suggesting appendicitis included an appendiceal diameter > 7 mm (AUC 0.92, [95% CI: 0.90-0.94]), an appendicolith (p = 0.003), hyperaemia (p = 0.001), non-compressibility (p = 0.029) and no luminal gas (p = 0.004). Secondary sonographic signs included probe tenderness (p < 0.001) and peri-appendiceal echogenic fat (p < 0.001). Sonographic signs suggesting CA over SA comprised a diameter > 10.1 mm (AUC 0.63, [95% CI: 0.57-0.69]), an appendicolith (p = 0.003) and peri-appendiceal fluid (p = 0.004).
conclusionPresence of specific sonographic signs can aid diagnosis and differentiation of simple and complicated appendicitis in children.
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