Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound in Patients with Suspected Acute Appendicitis in Rapti Academy of Health Sciences

Abstract

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is a leading cause of acute abdominal pain globally. It is typically diagnosed clinically using various scoring systems, with ultrasound and computed tomography used in certain cases. Ultrasound is often the preferred test for several reasons. This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in suspected acute appendicitis.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Radiology Department of Rapti Academy of Health Sciences. It included 89 patients with suspected appendicitis who underwent abdominal ultrasound from July to November, 2024 and met the inclusion criteria. Ultrasound findings were compared with histopathological results, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were calculated.

Results: Most of the patients were male which was 48 (53.9%) with the most common age group being from 21 to 35 years. The mean age was 37 years. The most common ultrasonographic feature of acute appendicitis was increased diameter of the appendix of more than 6 mm seen in 78 (87.6%) cases. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography were 97.6% and 42.9%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 95.2% and 60%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was 93.1%.

Conclusion: Ultrasound demonstrated high sensitivity and positive predictive value, making it an effective test for confirming the presence of the disease. Ultrasound is accessible, affordable, and radiation-free, but its low specificity limits its reliability. CT can be used for confirmation, though it's costly and involves radiation.