Clinical Evaluation of Acute Appendicitis

One of the most common causes of surgical abdominal pain among children is appendicitis. History of present illness and physical examination are important in distinguishing appendicitis from other etiologies of abdominal pain, and surgical decisions can be made sometimes on these findings alone. The addition of laboratory results and various imaging modalities can help in equivocal cases. Ultrasound and computed tomography, and more recently magnetic resonance imaging, are beneficial in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
Source: Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Source Type: research