Audience: Medical Students and Radiology Residents
Learning Objectives:
Recognize and describe key imaging features for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis on US
Summary:
Graded compression ultrasound is first line imaging for suspected appendicitis in children
Acute appendicitis
Greater than 6 mm
Incompressible
Adjacent inflammation or fluid
US has variable sensitivity and specificity and is user dependent
Appendix is often not visualized
CT requires ionizing radiation but performs better
