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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 14, 2014; 20(38): 13942-13949
Published online Oct 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i38.13942
Published online Oct 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i38.13942
Stratified computed tomography findings improve diagnostic accuracy for appendicitis
Geon Park, Department of Radiology, Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon 301-723, South Korea
Sang Chul Lee, Byung-Jo Choi, Say-June Kim, Department of Surgery, Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon 301-723, South Korea
Author contributions: Kim SJ designed the study and approved the final manuscript; Lee SC and Choi BJ collected and analyzed the data; and Park G wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Say-June Kim, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 520-2 Daeheung-dong, Joong-gu, Daejeon 301-723, South Korea. sejoonkim@hanmail.net
Telephone: +82-42-2209520 Fax: +82-42-2209565
Received: April 11, 2014
Revised: June 12, 2014
Accepted: July 11, 2014
Published online: October 14, 2014
Revised: June 12, 2014
Accepted: July 11, 2014
Published online: October 14, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: When equivocal computed tomography (CT) findings for appendicitis are encountered, the diagnostic accuracy can be enhanced by identifying several characteristic CT features: appendiceal diameter ≥ 6.0 mm, appendiceal wall thickening ≥ 2.0 mm, periappendiceal fat stranding, and the absence of intraluminal air. Therefore, radiologists, surgeons and physicians should apply these criteria when encountering patients with equivocal CT findings for appendicitis.