Abstract
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether obesity has a negative impact on the ultrasound (US) visualization of the appendix in children clinically diagnosed with appendicitis.
Methods:
The medical records and US examinations of 122 children who underwent surgery due to acute or perforated appendicitis between February 2007 and January 2010 were reviewed. The body mass index (BMI) of each child was calculated and children were placed in one of three categories: group 1, underweight (BMI <10th percentile); group 2, normal weight (BMI between 10th and 85th percentiles); and group 3, overweight (BMI >85th percentile). US findings were classified as nonvisualized, normal, or inflamed appendix. The visualization rates of the appendix were compared between the three groups and the diagnostic accuracy of the US examination was calculated based on the histopathological results for each group.
Results:
There was no statistical difference between the three groups with regard to the visualization of the appendix by US. Diagnostic accuracy of US was 90.4%, 80.5%, and 80% in group 1, group 2, and group 3, respectively.
Conclusion:
The findings of our study, in contrast to the findings of other reported studies, demonstrate that obesity does not affect the success rate of US in the visualization of the inflamed appendix in children. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2011