Sarcouncil Journal of Medical Series

Abstract: Objective: The vermiform appendix is a worm shaped tubular structure projecting from the blind end of the caecum. Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency with a life time prevalence of 1 in 7 individualswith the risk of 8.6% for males and 6.7% for females, with the highest incidence in the second and third decades. Because of the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis remains a challenge to surgeons, so different aids were introduced like different scoring systems, computer aided programs, ultrasonography, CT scan, MRI, GIT contrast studies and laparoscopy to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Among these modalities, ultrasonography is simple, easily available, non-invasive, convenient and cost effective. The ultrasound diagnosis of acute appendicitis was first introduced by PUYLAERT in 1986, in graded compression technique. The aim of the study: to determine the roleof ultrasound in diagnosis of the acute appendicitis in those with clinically diagnosed patients. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Al- karama teaching hospital for thirty months. Results: A total of 435 patients with suspected appendicitis, males 224(51.49%) &females 211(48.50%) were included in present study. Regarding to the validity results of ultrasound in comparison to histopathology findings were as following; accuracy 87.6%, sensitivity 87.8%, specificity 85.3%, positive predictive value 98.6% and negative predictive value 62.8%. Conclusions: The ultrasonography had a good accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing acute appendicitis cases