The usefulness of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children

: The main objective of the present report was the evaluation of the utility of echography as a diagnostic method in abdominal pain suspicious of acute appendicitis. A control-case study was performed in 165 children hospitalized for abdominal pain. Appendicitis histologically confirmed were considered cases (n = 110) while control (n = 55) were the not-operated patients (46 children) or the not-confirmed appendicitis after laparotomy (n = 9). The variables considered here were: the results of echography (Eco+ when echography showed signs of acute appendicitis: Eco- when not), the age of the patient (randomized at three groups; 9 years), and the conclusions of fisical exploration (conclusive or not as acute appendicitis). The results were analyzed statistically with the SPSS program, calculating the following predictive values; sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value. Odds Radio before and after test and the global value of echography. Authors conclude that ultrasonography as method of support to abdominal exploration for diagnostic in acute appendicitis is manifest and present a global value of 70.90%.