CT (Computed Tomography scans urged for appendicitis in children
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Focused appendiceal helical CT (FACT-CC) with a colon contrast agent should be used routinely to diagnose cases of suspected appendicitis in children, says a US radiologist. In a study of 199 children the technique was found to be 96% accurate in the diagnosis of appendicitis, much better than either standard abdominal X-rays or ultrasound, Mark Mullins of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, revealed at the American Roentgen Ray Society's annual meeting in Washington DC earlier this month.