Accuracy of Point-of-care Ultrasonography for Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Point-of-care Ultrasound in Infectious Diseases: Current Insights and Future Perspectives

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a safe, noninvasive technique performed at the patient's bedside, providing immediate results to the operator. It complements physical examination and facilitates clinical decision-making. In infectious diseases, POCUS is particularly valuable, offering an initial assessment in cases of suspected infection. It often leads to an early tentative diagnosis enabling the prompt initiation of antimicrobial treatment without the delay associated with traditional radiology. POCUS provides direct visualization of affected organs, assists in evaluating fluid balance, and facilitates various interventions, all while reducing patient discomfort. For infectious disease specialists, becoming proficient in POCUS is a critical future challenge, requiring dedicated training for effective utilization.

POCUS for Infectious Enteritis-A Retrospective Case Series Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The abdominal pain associated with diarrhea can be difficult to distinguish from appendicitis. We present a case series of all children found on pediatric emergency department point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to have right-sided bowel wall edema.

METHODS

Over the study period June 2020 through September 2023, POCUS images were collected by a pediatric emergency physician with 6 years of experience with POCUS. Children found to have small bowel wall edema on POCUS were identified, and hospital charts were reviewed.

RESULTS

One hundred thirteen children were found on POCUS to have right-sided small bowel wall edema. Thirty-one (27%) were referred by their pediatrician or urgent care provider to evaluate for appendicitis. Seventy-eight children (69%) provided stool samples. Of those, 58% resulted Campylobacter , 8% Salmonella , and 8% Shigella . Forty (35%) were discharged after POCUS without further evaluation. One child in our case series was subsequently diagnosed with uncomplicated appendicitis. To date, no child in the series has subsequently been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Enteritis can initially be difficult to distinguish on clinical grounds from acute appendicitis. Bowel wall edema on POCUS in a child without sonographic signs of appendicitis strongly suggests bacterial enteritis. Early POCUS demonstrating enteritis without signs of appendicitis may decrease hospital resource usage.

Predictive values of indirect ultrasound signs for low risk of acute appendicitis in paediatric patients without visualisation of the appendix on ultrasound

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The ability to rule appendicitis in or out using ultrasound is limited by studies where the appendix is not visualised. We determined whether the absence of indirect ultrasound signs can rule out appendicitis in children undergoing a radiology-performed ultrasound in which the appendix is not visualised METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective observational study of patients aged 3-13 with a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis evaluated in a Paediatric Emergency Department in Spain from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019. For those patients who had formal ultrasound, direct and indirect findings of ultrasound were abstracted from the ultrasound report. The surgical pathology report was established as the gold standard in patients who underwent an appendectomy. In those who did not, appendicitis was considered not to be present if there was no evidence in their charts that they had undergone an appendectomy or conservative therapy for appendicitis during the episode. The main outcome variable was the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. For patients undergoing ultrasound, the independent association of each indirect ultrasound sign with the diagnosis of appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix was analysed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

We included 1756 encounters from 1609 different episodes. Median age at the first visit of each episode was 10.1 years (IQR, 7.7-11.9) and 921 (57.2%) patients were men. There were 730 (41.6%) encounters with an Alvarado score ≤3, 695 (39.6%) with a score 4-6 and 331 (18.9%) with a score ≥7. Appendicitis was diagnosed in 293 (17.8%) episodes. Ultrasonography was performed in 1115 (61.6%) encounters, with a visualised appendix in 592 (53.1%).The ultrasound findings independently associated with appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix were the presence of free intra-abdominal fluid in a small quantity (OR:5.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 14.6)) or in an abundant quantity (OR:30.9 (95% CI 3.8 to 252.7)) and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat (OR:7.2 (95% CI 1.4 to 38.0)). The absence of free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat ruled out acute appendicitis in patients with an Alvarado score <7 with a sensitivity of 84.6% (95% CI 57.8 to 95.7) and a negative predictive value of 99.4% (95% CI 97.8 to 99.8).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with an Alvarado score <7 and without a visualised appendix on ultrasound but who lack free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat are at very low risk of acute appendicitis.

Multiorgan Point-of-Care Ultrasound Assessment in Critically Ill Adults

Traditional point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training highlights discrete techniques, single-organ assessment, and focused protocols. More recent developments argue for a whole-body approach, where the experienced clinician-ultrasonographer crafts a personalized POCUS protocol depending on specific clinical circumstances. This article describes this problem-based approach, focusing on common acute care scenarios while highlighting practical considerations and performance characteristics.

Point of Care Abdominal Ultrasound

Abdominal pain is a common emergency department complaint, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the abdomen is increasingly being utilized to evaluate clinical manifestations. It aids in accurate diagnoses and assists in procedures, particularly in emergency and critical care settings. Imaging is often required to confirm the etiology of abdominal pain. POCUS provides the benefit of avoiding radiation exposure and enables quicker diagnosis compared to computed tomography scans. There is growing evidence of the diagnostic accuracy for numerous abdominal POCUS applications, including appendicitis, intussusception, diverticulitis, gastric ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Pediatric Ultrasound Appendicitis Score for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis to Reduce Computed Tomography Scan Utilization

BACKGROUND

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common reasons for pediatric surgical consultation in the emergency room. Although acute appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis, the use of imaging in the emergency department to assist with the diagnosis is very common. Ultrasound is frequently utilized in pediatrics because of the radiation risks associated with computed tomography (CT) scan. The risks of radiation in the pediatric population are much more significant than in adults. Reasons for this include smaller size so there is a relative higher radiation dose than for larger adults, radiosensitive organs such as thyroid, bone marrow, and gonads, and radiation exposure earlier in life allows for more time that a radiation induced cancer could develop. The risks of radiation from imaging are increased with cumulative dosing.

METHODS

The purpose of this study was to incorporate the pediatric appendicitis score (PAS) and standardized ultrasound scoring system to provide a combined score that would assist with the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis and avoid the need for a CT scan.

RESULTS

The presented data shows that for scores of 7 or more, the specificity and sensitivity is 90% and 90.2%, respectively for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

DISCUSSION

This study validates the combined score, shows the specific cutoffs, and initiates the discussion that CT scan may not always be required for diagnosing acute appendicitis if this scoring system is used.

Guidance for clinical practice using emergency and point-of-care ultrasonography

Owing to the miniaturization of diagnostic ultrasound scanners and their spread of their bedside use, ultrasonography has been actively utilized in emergency situations. Ultrasonography performed by medical personnel with focused approaches at the bedside for clinical decision-making and improving the quality of invasive procedures is now called point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS). The concept of POCUS has spread worldwide; however, in Japan, formal clinical guidance concerning POCUS is lacking, except for the application of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) and ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation. The Committee for the Promotion of POCUS in the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) has often discussed improving the quality of acute care using POCUS, and the "Clinical Guidance for Emergency and Point-of-Care Ultrasonography" was finally established with the endorsement of JAAM. The background, targets for acute care physicians, rationale based on published articles, and integrated application were mentioned in this guidance. The core points include the fundamental principles of ultrasound, airway, chest, cardiac, abdominal, and deep venous ultrasound, ultrasound-guided procedures, and the usage of ultrasound based on symptoms. Additional points, which are currently being considered as potential core points in the future, have also been widely mentioned. This guidance describes the overview and future direction of ultrasonography for acute care physicians and can be utilized for emergency ultrasound education. We hope this guidance will contribute to the effective use of ultrasonography in acute care settings in Japan.

Appendicitis in Children

The management of pediatric appendicitis continues to advance with the development of evidence-based treatment algorithms and a recent shift toward patient-centered treatment approaches. Further research should focus on development of standardized institution-specific diagnostic algorithms to minimize rates of missed diagnosis and appendiceal perforation and refinement of evidence-based clinical treatment pathways that reduce complication rates and minimize health care resource utilization.

Accuracy of emergency physician bedside ultrasonography compared with private teleradiologist for acute appendicitis diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Acute appendicitis (AA) is a common cause of abdominal pain resulting in admission to the emergency room. Imaging methods such as ultrasonography and CT are usually used for diagnosing acute appendicitis. Reports regarding CT scans conducted during night shifts are prepared by private teleradiologists.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound performed by an emergency medicine specialist and private teleradiologists in the diagnosis of AA.

METHODS

This study was conducted prospectively and in a single center in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients who were admitted to the study between 15.09.2020 and 15.09.2021 and were diagnosed with AA who met the study criteria were included. A total of 134 patients diagnosed with AA, who met the inclusion criteria, out of 158 operated patients were included in the study.

RESULTS

In the study, 77 were male and 57 were female. The mean age of patients with histopathologically positive AA was 31 and 31.5 in negative patients. The sensitivity and specificity of POCUS performed by the emergency physician and private teleradiology for the diagnosis of AA were 78.4% and 59.3% and 58.8% and 53.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

POCUS performed by an emergency medicine specialist showed a higher sensitivity for the diagnosis of AA compared with private teleradiology. Hence, POCUS is more successful in diagnosing AA than private teleradiology. In conclusion, we recommend the concurrent use of AS and POCUS in emergency departments rather than private teleradiology for the diagnosis of AA.

Accuracy of ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the emergency department: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a quick, useful, noninvasive, and inexpensive diagnostic tool used for the diagnosis of trauma, abdominal pain, dyspnea, and chest pain in the emergency department (ED). However, the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in the ED may be different from those reported in previous studies owing to the setting and time constraints in ED.

METHODS

We conducted our study in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. A literature search was conducted using databases on US National Library of Medicine's database of biomedical literature, Ovid MEDLINE, online database of biomedical articles, and the collection of databases of systematic reviews and other evidence. The inclusion criteria were the use of bedside ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for acute appendicitis in the ED and the available data on diagnostic parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (NPV). We constructed forest plots and summary receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of bedside ultrasound for acute appendicitis in the ED.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies that met the inclusion criteria of this study were included for analysis. The overall pooled sensitivity was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.83), whereas the pooled specificity was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.85-0.88). However, the I2 test showed 91.7% and 90.9% heterogeneity in the sensitivity and specificity values, respectively. The summary receiver operating characteristic curves showed high levels of accuracy, as evidenced by an area under the curve of 0.9249 (standard error: 0.0180).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the ED showed that ultrasound has high overall sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. however, high heterogeneity among the included studies was observed.

The Incremental Role of Multiorgan Point-of-Care Ultrasounds in the Emergency Setting

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) represents a goal-directed ultrasound examination performed by clinicians directly involved in patient healthcare. POCUS has been widely used in emergency departments, where US exams allow physicians to make quick diagnoses and to recognize early life-threatening conditions which require prompt interventions. Although initially meant for the real-time evaluation of cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies, its use has been extended to a wide range of clinical applications, such as screening for deep-vein thrombosis and trauma, abdominal ultrasonography of the right upper quadrant and appendix, and guidance for invasive procedures. Moreover, recently, bedside ultrasounds have been used to evaluate the fluid balance and to guide decongestive therapy in acutely decompensated heart failure. The aim of the present review was to discuss the most common applications of POCUS in the emergency setting.

Point‑of‑Care Ultrasound - accuracy, education

A review article discussing the reliability of Point-of-Care ultrasound and education in this method in various fields of medicine.

A peculiar appendix: A case report

Introduction and importance

Acute appendicitis is a clinical diagnosis with marked variations in the clinical presentation, the latter resultant of varied anatomical positions of the appendix.

Presentation of case

Here we present the first documented case of the vermiform appendix located in the ascending colon of a young South Asian male who presented with right upper abdominal pain. The ultrasound scan of the abdomen failed to visualise the appendix in the right iliac fossa. Persistent symptoms despite conservative therapy and elevated inflammatory markers warranted an open laparotomy. The histology further confirmed acute appendicitis.

Clinical discussion

Atypical locations and congenital anomalies of the appendix are relatively rare entities. Appendicular duplication and hypoplasia are the predominant varieties of congenital anomalies. Caecal diverticula might mimic acute appendicitis despite the relative rarity and absence of all three layers of intestinal wall, which could be of use in distinguishing an abnormally located appendix.

Conclusion

Such deviations from the norm lead to atypical clinical and imaging findings where operative interventions might be required in place of non-operative care, especially in instances of persistent symptomatology.

•

Human appendix has a variable course although congenital anomalies related to its position are rare

•

Unusual anatomical positions lead to atypical presentations and negative/abnormal findings in appendicular pathology.

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Hypoplasia, agenesis, duplication, triplication and diverticular formation are rare congenital anomalies of the appendix.

•

Appendix located in the ascending colon has never been reported in the English literature so far.

Point-of-Care Abdominal Ultrasonography (POCUS) on the Way to the Right and Rapid Diagnosis

Point-of-Care ultrasound (POCUS) is based on target ultrasound that is performed wherever a patient is being treated, and by a non-radiologist directly involved in the patient’s care. It is used either for quick diagnosis or procedural guidance. Abdominal pain is one of the most common complaints in emergency departments, and POCUS can help in the differentiation of patients who need additional diagnostic tests or hospital treatment, which eventually reduces the overall costs of health care. POCUS has high sensitivity and specificity in abdominal pathology, it can be helpful in the evaluation of biliary, intestinal, and urinary tract, and it is especially used in trauma. Additionally, the gold standard for abdominal aortic aneurysm detection, follow up and screening is precisely this diagnostic procedure. Unfortunately, the quality of ultrasound examination can be affected by the experience of the physician performing it and the patient’s body weight. There is no doubt that POCUS is being increasingly recognized, but all motivated physicians should be provided with dedicated tutors and enough time for learning. This would certainly help to implement this diagnostic method as a routine in emergency and critical care departments, and significantly shorten the time until definitive diagnosis.

Diagnostic accuracy of a pragmatic, ultrasound-based approach to adult patients with suspected acute appendicitis in the ED

BACKGROUND

Systematic imaging reduces the rate of missed appendicitis and negative appendectomies in patients with suspected acute appendicitis (AA). Little is known about the utility of ultrasound as a first diagnostic measure in patients with suspected AA. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine whether ultrasound, performed by emergency physicians or radiologists, can be used as first diagnostic measure in suspected cases to rule out AA and to avoid unnecessary CT.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis at the ED of the University Hospital Bern, Switzerland, from 2012 to 2014. Our standard protocol is that all adult patients suspected of appendicitis receive an ultrasound as their first imaging test, either by an emergency physician or a radiologist. The test characteristics of conclusive and inconclusive ultrasound exams were compared with a pragmatic gold standard.

RESULTS

The study included 508 patients with suspected AA. 308 patients (60.4%) had a conclusive ultrasound. Among these, sensitivity for appendicitis was 89.6% (95% CI 82.1% to 94.3%), specificity 93.8% (89.1% to 96.6%), the positive predictive value was 87.98 (80.84 to 92.71) and the negative predictive value was 94.65 (91.18 to 96.80). The remaining 200 (39.4%) patients had an inconclusive ultrasound exam. 29% (59/200) of these patients ultimately had appendicitis. Less experienced emergency physician sonographers came to a definitive conclusion in 48.1% (95% CI 36.9% to 59.5%), experienced emergency physician sonographers in 76.0% (68.4% to 82.5%) and radiologists in 52.4% (44.5% to 60.2%).

CONCLUSION

A conclusive ultrasound of the appendix performed by either emergency physicians or radiologists is a sensitive and specific exam to diagnose or exclude AA in patients with suspected AA. Because of 6% false negative exams, clinical follow-up is mandatory for patients with negative ultrasound. An inconclusive ultrasound warrants further imaging or a follow-up visit, since 29% of patients with inconclusive ultrasound had an AA.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosing acute appendicitis in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Lack of timely diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) can lead to perforation and peritonitis, which might be associated with complications such as miscarriage, preterm delivery, fetal loss, and even maternal mortality. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) for diagnosing AA in pregnant patients.

METHODS

We performed the present systematic review and meta-analysis based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Using a pre-designed standard datasheet, the two authors summarized the data of each study independently. Pregnant women with diagnosed or suspected AA, who have undergone ultrasonography, as well as using CT scan or surgery as the standard method, were included.

RESULTS

A total of 8 studies consisting of 1593 patients were included. The main analysis showed that the overall sensitivity and specificity were 77.6% and 75.3% for US in diagnosing AA in pregnancy. The sensitivity of US in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy were 69%, 63%, and 51%, respectively. While the corresponding figures for specificity were 85%, 85%, and 65%. There was a significant difference in the diagnostic performance of US between the first two trimesters and the third one. The DORs in these three trimesters were 36, 26, and 1.92, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound evaluation showed a low diagnostic accuracy for acute appendicitis in pregnant women, especially during the third trimester. These patients should be diagnosed early and accurately to prevent both complications and unnecessary operations. It can be recommended to consider alternative imaging, mostly after negative or uncertain US.

A prospective, multicenter evaluation of point-of-care ultrasound for appendicitis in the emergency department

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the diagnosis of appendicitis in a general emergency department (ED) population as performed by emergency physicians with variable ultrasound experience.

METHODS

We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study examining a convenience sample of adult patients with potential appendicitis presenting to the ED between July 2014 and February 2020. Each emergency physician-performed POCUS was interpreted at the bedside and retrospectively by an expert reviewer. Test characteristics were calculated for POCUS and blinded expert interpretation compared to surgical pathology in patients undergoing appendectomy and advanced imaging in patients managed nonoperatively.

RESULTS

A total of 256 subjects were included in the primary analysis with an overall appendicitis prevalence of 28.1%. For the diagnosis of appendicitis, POCUS demonstrated an overall sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74 to 0.92), 0.63 (95% CI = 0.56 to 0.70), 2.29 (95% CI = 1.85 to 2.84), and 0.24 (95% CI = 0.14 to 0.42), respectively. Expert review yielded a lower sensitivity (0.74 [95% CI = 0.62 to 0.83]) with a similar specificity (0.63 [95% CI = 0.56 to 0.70]).

CONCLUSION

POCUS is moderately accurate for acute appendicitis as performed by emergency physicians with a wide range of ultrasound expertise, but lacks adequate sensitivity and specificity to function as a definitive test in an undifferentiated ED population. Further study is warranted to elucidate the optimal role of integrated POCUS in the general approach to suspected appendicitis.

The utility of spectral Doppler evaluation of acute appendicitis

PURPOSE

The use of spectral Doppler, peak systolic velocity (PSV), and resistive index (RI) imaging criteria to improve the accuracy of acute appendicitis diagnosis is hypothesized.

METHODS

Graded compression ultrasound was performed for suspected patients. The spectral Doppler evaluation was conducted while observing the appendix. A total of 152 patients (82 males and 70 females, ages 4-63 years, mean age of 24.5 years) were examined using the spectral Doppler waveform between 2018 and 2019. RI and PSV values of patients with and without appendicitis were compared to histopathologic findings. SPSS 26 was used to analyze the data, including using descriptive statistics and measures of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).

RESULTS

Appendicitis was confirmed in 95 patients (62.5%) and rejected in 57 patients (37.5%). For the diagnosis of appendicitis, the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) for RI (0.92 with 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88, 0.97; P = 0.001) and PSV (0.96, with 95% CI: 0.93, 1.00; P = 0.001) was calculated. The discriminatory RI ≥ 0.49 demonstrated high sensitivity (90.5%) and low specificity (86%), and the discriminatory PSV ≥ 9.6 cm/s had high specificity (94.7%) and sensitivity (94.7%) for appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

By incorporating spectral Doppler criteria into routine graded compression ultrasound, the diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis was increased. In comparison, high PSV and RI values of the appendix with a cut-off point of 9.6 cm/s and 0.49 differ significantly between positive and negative appendectomy patients.

The unmet demand for point-of-care ultrasound among general pediatricians: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a noninvasive bedside tool with many pediatric applications but is not currently a formal part of pediatric training and practice. Formal surveys of general pediatricians regarding POCUS training are lacking. We aimed to quantify the baseline ultrasound experience and training needs of general pediatricians and pediatric residents across different practice settings.

METHODS

In 2020, we sent an online survey to 485 current faculty, residents, and graduates from an urban pediatric academic medical center in Northern California. Pediatric subspecialists were excluded. Survey questions about baseline experience, comfort, and perceived usefulness of 20 common POCUS applications were developed by two POCUS experts using existing literature. Chi-squared analysis was used to compare residents versus attendings and to compare attendings practicing in inpatient versus outpatient versus mixed settings.

RESULTS

Response rate was 20% (98/485). Compared to attendings (n = 73), residents (n = 25) endorsed more exposure to POCUS in medical school (32% vs 5%, p = 0.003) and residency (12% vs 5%, p = 0.003). Respondents endorsed low comfort with POCUS (mean 1.3 out of 5 on Likert scale). Of 20 procedural and diagnostic applications, respondents identified abscess drainage, bladder catheterization, soft tissue, neck, advanced abdominal, and constipation as most useful. Overall, 50% of pediatricians (and 70% of pediatric residents) responded that there were opportunities to use POCUS multiple times a week or more in their clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an unmet demand for POCUS training among general pediatricians and trainees in our study. Although the majority of respondents were not POCUS users, our results could guide future efforts to study the role of POCUS in general pediatrics and develop pediatric curricula.

Radiation-Free Diagnosis of Pediatric Appendicitis: Accuracy of Point-of-Care Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

INTRODUCTION

Appendicitis is a common pediatric surgical emergency, and it can often be difficult to diagnose. Computed tomography is commonly used as a diagnostic criterion standard, but herein, we describe the accuracy of a "radiation-free" diagnostic algorithm using point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose pediatric appendicitis.

METHODS

This was a retrospective chart review of all patients who had a POCUS ordered for evaluation of pediatric appendicitis. Results of POCUS and MRI were classified as positive, negative, or equivocal using previously described cutoffs and criterion standard of surgery/pathology or clinical follow-up. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated using traditional methods.

RESULTS

We identified 209 patients for inclusion. The sensitivity and specificity of POCUS were 100% and 95.2%, respectively, in addition to 86 equivocal examinations, 6 of which had appendicitis. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI were 94.4% and 96.5%, respectively, in addition to 27 equivocal examinations, 2 of which had appendicitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Using POCUS and MRI for the diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis is a highly accurate way to avoid ionizing radiation in children. In our study, POCUS is as accurate as MRI, although this is limited by being mostly done by a single provider and a high number of equivocal examinations.

Emergency Department Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Can Reduce Length of Stay in Pediatric Appendicitis: A Retrospective Review

OBJECTIVES

Appendicitis is the most common pediatric surgical emergency. Ultrasonography is recommended as first-line imaging for appendicitis in children; however, this is often followed by more advanced imaging. Our goal was to determine if point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) could reduce cost and length-of-stay (LOS) in suspected pediatric appendicitis.

METHODS

We performed a chart review of patients presenting to our pediatric emergency department (ED) from August 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 who had imaging for appendicitis. We compared cost and LOS for patients who received POCUS to those who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as first-line imaging, which is standard at our institution.

RESULTS

We identified 695 visits of 685 unique patients. Patients who received POCUS (n = 209) had a significantly shorter mean LOS (274 minutes) in the ED compared to patients who did not (317 minutes, P <.001). This was true regardless of the month of their visit. The POCUS group was younger, less likely to have right lower quadrant pain/tenderness, less likely to be admitted, and less likely to have appendicitis than the MRI group. Average appendix imaging cost per patient was lower in the POCUS group at $1308 compared to the MRI group at $1371 (P <.001), although patients who had both POCUS and MRI (n = 102) had the highest average imaging costs ($2010).

CONCLUSION

POCUS can reduce LOS and imaging cost in suspected pediatric appendicitis. Further study is warranted to determine which patients benefit the most from POCUS and whether the results are applicable in other settings.

Apport de l’échographie clinique dans la prise en charge des douleurs abdominales aiguës non traumatiques chez l’adulte dans les services d’urgence : une étude rétrospective monocentrique dans un centre hospitalier général

Objectif : Déterminer si la réalisation d’une échographie clinique en médecine d’urgence (ECMU) modifie la prise en charge des patients présentant une douleur abdominale aiguë d’origine non traumatique.

Matériel et méthodes : Étude rétrospective, monocentrique, incluant les patients qui ont consulté aux urgences pour douleur abdominale aiguë d’origine non traumatique entre le 1er juin 2019 et le 31 octobre 2019. Les données recueillies étaient le nombre d’examens complémentaires d’imagerie réalisés, le temps de prise en charge, le taux d’hospitalisation, le diagnostic et le taux de reconsultation à 30 jours. Le critère de jugement principal était le recours aux examens complémentaires d’imagerie spécialisée (parmi lesquels : échographie spécialisée, tomodensitométrie abdominopelvienne et abdomen sans préparation) chez les patients ayant bénéficié d’une échographie clinique (groupe « ECMU ») comparativement aux patients n’ayant pas bénéficié d’échographie (groupe « sans ECMU »).

Résultats : Mille cinquante-trois patients ont été inclus. Parmi ces patients, 16 % ont bénéficié d’une échographie clinique par le médecin urgentiste. Il existait une réduction significative du recours à l’échographie spécialisée dans le groupe ECMU (4 % dans le groupe « avec ECMU » versus 9 % dans le groupe « sans ECMU », OR = 0,45, IC 95 % : [0,17–1,00], p = 0,04), sans différence significative entre les deux groupes concernant le temps de prise en charge, l’orientation, le taux de reconsultation à 30 jours et la concordance diagnostique.

Conclusion : La réalisation d’une ECMU dans l’exploration des douleurs abdominales aiguës d’origine non traumatique entraînait une réduction significative du nombre d’échographies spécialisées, sans pour autant diminuer le temps de prise en charge ni la concordance entre le diagnostic posé aux urgences et celui en fin d’hospitalisation.

Sonographic diagnosis of appendicitis: A pictorial essay and a new diagnostic maneuver

While many cases of appendicitis are easy to diagnose clinically, a significant number need further workup in the form of imaging. Ultrasound and CT are both used extensively to diagnose or exclude appendicitis, or arrive at an alternate diagnosis. Ultrasound has many advantages but can be a difficult modality to use due to, among other reasons, the anatomical variations in appendicial location. The true retrocolic appendix is particularly difficult to diagnose with ultrasound. This pictorial essay examines the ultrasound features of normal and diseased appendix and proposes a new examining station, the prone view, for visualizing true retrocolic appendicitis.

Abdominal fellowship-trained versus generalist radiologist accuracy when interpreting MR and CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis

OBJECTIVES

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of generalist radiologists working in a community setting against abdominal radiologists working in an academic setting for the interpretation of MR when diagnosing acute appendicitis among emergency department patients.

METHODS

This observational study examined MR image interpretation (non-contrast MR with diffusion-weighted imaging and intravenous contrast-enhanced MR) from a prospectively enrolled cohort at an academic hospital over 18 months. Eligible patients had an abdominopelvic CT ordered to evaluate for appendicitis and were > 11 years old. The reference standard was a combination of surgery and pathology results, phone follow-up, and chart review. Six radiologists blinded to clinical information, three each from community and academic practices, independently interpreted MR and CT images in random order. We calculated test characteristics for both individual and group (consensus) diagnostic accuracy then performed Chi-square tests to identify any differences between the subgroups.

RESULTS

Analysis included 198 patients (114 women) with a mean age of 31.6 years and an appendicitis prevalence of 32.3%. For generalist radiologists, the sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval) were 93.8% (84.6-98.0%) and 88.8% (82.2-93.2%) for MR and 96.9% (88.7-99.8%) and 91.8% (85.8-95.5%) for CT. For fellowship-trained radiologists, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.9% (88.2-99.5%) and 89.6% (82.8-94%) for MR and 98.4% (90.5-99.9%) and 93.3% (87.3-96.7%) for CT. No statistically significant differences were detected between radiologist groups (p = 1.0, p = 0.53, respectively) or when comparing MR to CT (p = 0.21, p = 0.17, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

MR is a reliable, radiation-free imaging alternative to CT for the evaluation of appendicitis in community-based generalist radiology practices.

KEY POINTS

• There was no significant difference in MR image interpretation accuracy between generalist and abdominal fellowship-trained radiologists when evaluating sensitivity (p = 1.0) and specificity (p = 0.53). • There was no significant difference in accuracy comparing MR to CT imaging for diagnosing appendicitis for either sensitivity (p = 0.21) or specificity (p = 0.17). • With experience, generalist radiologists enhanced their MR interpretation accuracy as demonstrated by improved interpretation sensitivity (OR 2.89 CI 1.44-5.77, p = 0.003) and decreased mean interpretation time (5 to 3.89 min).

Diagnostic Applications of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Point-of-care ultrasound has become an essential part of pediatric emergency medicine training and practice. It can have significant clinical benefits, including improving diagnostic accuracy and decreasing length of stay, and does not require radiation exposure for patients. In this review, we summarize the current diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound applications in pediatric emergency medicine, their evidence, and techniques.

Role of platelet indices as a biomarker for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and as a predictor of complicated appendicitis: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies worldwide. Clinical scoring system systems have been developed to diagnose acute appendicitis, but insufficient to predict the complication. The amount of serum biomarkers elevates in response to acute inflammation, which could be beneficial for diagnostic tools. Accordingly, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of platelet indices, including mean platelet volume (MVP) and platelet distribution width (PDW) as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of a diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The dataset was defined by searching for articles published until December 2020 from PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and the Cochrane database. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager Software version 5.4.1.

RESULTS

The final analysis was made from 9 studies, including 3124 patients. The results demonstrated that lower MPV values was significantly associated with acute appendicitis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.51 to -0.11, P = 0.02), but not associated with complicated appendicitis by comparing it with the control (OR = -0.13,95% CI = -0.33 to -0.07, P = 0.19) and non-complicated appendicitis groups (OR = -0.13,95% CI = -0.30 to -0.04, P = 0.14). The present study failed to demonstrate the diagnostic value of PDW for the prediction of appendicitis and its complication.

CONCLUSION

The results of the meta-analysis strongly indicate that a lower MVP values could function as a marker for predicting the acute appendicitis.

The usefulness and positive predictive value of ultrasonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the evolution of the use of imaging tests (ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT)) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. To determine the positive predictive value of these tests and the percentage of negative and complicated appendectomies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This retrospective study compared adults who underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis at our tertiary hospital during 2015 versus similar patients at our center during 2007.

RESULTS

A total of 278 patients were included. The rate of negative appendectomies descended to 5%. The positive predictive value of ultrasonography increased to 97.4% in 2015, and the positive predictive value of CT and combined CT and ultrasonography was 100%. The rate of complicated appendicitis increased (23% in 2015).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of imaging tests increased, and the rate of "blind" laparotomies decreased. Nevertheless, the rate of complicated appendicitis increased.

Closing the loop on test results to reduce communication failures: a rapid review of evidence, practice and patient perspectives

Background

Communication failures involving test results contribute to issues of patient harm and sentinel events. This article aims to synthesise review evidence, practice insights and patient perspectives addressing problems encountered in the communication of diagnostic test results.

Methods

The rapid review identified ten systematic reviews and four narrative reviews. Five practitioner interviews identified insights into interventions and implementation, and a citizen panel with 15 participants explored the patient viewpoint.

Results

The rapid review provided support for the role of technology to ensure effective communication; behavioural interventions such as audit and feedback could be effective in changing clinician behaviour; and point-of-care tests (bedside testing) eliminate the communication breakdown problem altogether. The practice interviews highlighted transparency, and clarifying the lines of responsibility as central to improving test result communication. Enabling better information sharing, implementing adequate planning and utilising technology were also identified in the practice interviews as viable strategies to improve test result communication. The citizen panel highlighted technology as critical to improving communication of test results to both health professionals and patients. Patients also highlighted the importance of having different ways of accessing test results, which is particularly pertinent when ensuring suitability for vulnerable populations.

Conclusions

This paper draws together multiple perspectives on the problem of failures in diagnostic test results communication to inform appropriate interventions. Across the three studies, technology was identified as the most feasible option for closing the loop on test result communication. However, the importance of clear, consistent communication and more streamlined processes were also key elements that emerged.

Review registration

The protocol for the rapid review was registered with PROSPERO CRD42018093316.

Body mass index as an indicator of the likelihood of ultrasound visualization of the appendix in pregnant women with suspicion of appendicitis

PURPOSE

To determine if clinical characteristics of pregnant women are associated with the likelihood of ultrasound (US) visualization of the appendix in cases where there is a clinical suspicion of appendicitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 471 pregnant patients with suspicion of appendicitis from 2009 to 2018 were studied. Patients underwent sonography of the appendix as their initial imaging study. The association of body mass index (BMI) and gestational age with sonographic visualization of the appendix was analyzed using logistic regression. Cut-off values were determined for BMI to predict visualization of the appendix.

RESULTS

The rate of visualization of the appendix on US was 16% (95% CI 12% to 19%). When stratified by trimester of pregnancy, rebound pain on compression US examination in the 1st trimester and BMI in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters were identified as predictors of US visualization. Applying BMI cut-off values rounded to the nearest whole number, 36, 30, and 26 in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, non-visualization rates would be reduced by 16% (95% CI 10% to 25%), 35% (95% CI 29% to 42%), and 67% (95% CI 58% to 74%). Using BMI index cut-off values would reduce the number of primary US examinations by 35% (95% CI 30% to 39%) and increase the rate of visualization by 6% (95% CI 0.02% to 12%, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Using BMI cut-off values for determining the efficaciousness of US visualization of the appendix in pregnant women with suspicion of appendicitis could significantly reduce the non-visualization rate.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Intussusception in Children Presenting to the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Ileocolic intussusception is a common cause of pediatric bowel obstruction in young children but can be difficult to diagnose clinically due to vague abdominal complaints. If left untreated, it may cause significant morbidity. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a rapid, bedside method of assessment that may potentially aid in the diagnosis of intussusception. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of POCUS for children with suspected ileocolic intussusception by emergency physicians (EP).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS, the Cochrane databases, Google Scholar, as well as conference abstracts, and assessed bibliographies of selected articles for all studies evaluating the accuracy of POCUS for the diagnosis of intussusception in children. We dual extracted data into a predefined worksheet and performed quality analysis with the QUADAS-2 tool. Data were summarized and a meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Six studies (n = 1303 children) met our inclusion criteria. Overall, 11.9% of children had intussusception. POCUS was 94.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89.9% to 97.5%) sensitive and 99.1% (95% CI, 94.7% to 99.8%) specific with a likelihood ratio (LR)+ of 105 (95% CI, 18 to 625) and a LR- of 0.05 (95% CI, 0.03 to 0.10).

CONCLUSION

POCUS by EPs is highly sensitive and specific for the identification of intussusception for children presenting to the emergency department.

Diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis: 2020 update of the WSES Jerusalem guidelines

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Acute appendicitis (AA) is among the most common causes of acute abdominal pain. Diagnosis of AA is still challenging and some controversies on its management are still present among different settings and practice patterns worldwide. In July 2015, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) organized in Jerusalem the first consensus conference on the diagnosis and treatment of AA in adult patients with the intention of producing evidence-based guidelines. An updated consensus conference took place in Nijemegen in June 2019 and the guidelines have now been updated in order to provide evidence-based statements and recommendations in keeping with varying clinical practice: use of clinical scores and imaging in diagnosing AA, indications and timing for surgery, use of non-operative management and antibiotics, laparoscopy and surgical techniques, intra-operative scoring, and peri-operative antibiotic therapy.

METHODS

This executive manuscript summarizes the WSES guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AA. Literature search has been updated up to 2019 and statements and recommendations have been developed according to the GRADE methodology. The statements were voted, eventually modified, and finally approved by the participants to the consensus conference and by the board of co-authors, using a Delphi methodology for voting whenever there was controversy on a statement or a recommendation. Several tables highlighting the research topics and questions, search syntaxes, and the statements and the WSES evidence-based recommendations are provided. Finally, two different practical clinical algorithms are provided in the form of a flow chart for both adults and pediatric (< 16 years old) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2020 WSES guidelines on AA aim to provide updated evidence-based statements and recommendations on each of the following topics: (1) diagnosis, (2) non-operative management for uncomplicated AA, (3) timing of appendectomy and in-hospital delay, (4) surgical treatment, (5) intra-operative grading of AA, (6) ,management of perforated AA with phlegmon or abscess, and (7) peri-operative antibiotic therapy.

Point-of-care ultrasound for the acute abdomen in the primary health care

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a focused examination, which is performed and interpreted at the bedside by the treating physician answering a specific clinical question. It is currently utilized as an essential adjunct to physical examination in many medical specialties. Recent advances in technology have made POCUS machines portable, affordable, and could be used with minimal training even by nonradiologists. This review aims to cover the fundamental physics of POCUS and its applications for diagnosing the acute abdomen in the primary health care including the most common causes encountered by family physicians. These are acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, renal colic, ectopic pregnancy, acute diverticulitis, bowel obstruction, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. We hope to encourage primary care physicians to incorporate POCUS in their routine clinical practice. We also highlight challenges encountered when using POCUS in the primary health care including limited availability and the need for proper training. Furthermore, we review the POCUS results when performed by primary health-care physicians. Integrating POCUS in primary health care empowers primary health-care physicians to provide high-quality, safe, and cost-effective care to the patients.

Accuracy of ultrasound exam performed by emergency medicine versus radiology residents in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

BACKGROUND

Although the traditional approach to the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) is using clinical methods, experience has shown that strict reliance on clinical data can lead to mismanagement or unnecessary surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the total agreement of ultrasound (US) results in AA performed by emergency medicine (EM) versus radiology residents in emergency department.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 121 patients with AA suspicion underwent an US exam by both trained EM and radiology residents in emergency department. The training course for EM residents consisted of attending an 8-h-workshop and then practicing an US exam on real patients within a 2-month period. The gold standards were either histopathologic or follow-up results. Total agreement of the results in both specialties was compared.

RESULTS

There were 67 men and 54 women, with a mean age of 33.6 ± 16.1 years (18.2-88.7 years). Fifty-four (44.6%) patients underwent surgery with the initial diagnosis of AA and the rest were evaluated by follow-ups. On the basis of our gold standards, the diagnosis was finally confirmed in 46 (38%) cases. There was a high total agreement in AA diagnosis [96% agreement, κ = 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.81-0.99] between the two groups. The specificity and sensitivity of EM and radiology groups were 99% (95% CI = 93-100), 63% (95% CI = 48-77), 97% (95% CI = 91-100), and 72% (95% CI = 57-84), respectively.

CONCLUSION

US has a high diagnostic specificity in patients suspected of having AA and EM residents can perform this modality as accurately as radiologists after training in the emergency setting.

Point-of-care ultrasound in primary care: a systematic review of generalist performed point-of-care ultrasound in unselected populations

BACKGROUND

Both the interest and actual extent of use of point-of-care ultrasound, PoCUS, among general practitioners or family physicians are increasing and training is also increasingly implemented in residency programs. However, the amount of research within the field is still rather limited compared to what is seen within other specialties in which it has become more established, such as in the specialty of emergency medicine. An assumption is made that what is relevant for emergency medicine physicians and their populations is also relevant to the general practitioner, as both groups are generalists working in unselected populations. This systematic review aims to examine the extent of use and to identify clinical studies on the use of PoCUS by either general practitioners or emergency physicians on indications that are relevant for the former, both in their daily practice and in out-of-hours services.

METHODS

Systematic searches were done in PubMed/MEDLINE using terms related to general practice, emergency medicine, and ultrasound.

RESULTS

On the extent of use, we identified 19 articles, as well as 26 meta-analyses and 168 primary studies on the clinical use of PoCUS. We found variable, but generally low, use among general practitioners, while it seems to be thoroughly established in emergency medicine in North America, and increasingly also in the rest of the world. In terms of clinical studies, most were on diagnostic accuracy, and most organ systems were studied; the heart, lungs/thorax, vessels, abdominal and pelvic organs, obstetric ultrasound, the eye, soft tissue, and the musculoskeletal system. The studies found in general either high sensitivity or high specificity for the particular test studied, and in some cases high total accuracy and superiority to other established diagnostic imaging modalities. PoCUS also showed faster time to diagnosis and change in management in some studies.

CONCLUSION

Our review shows that generalists can, given a certain level of pre-test probability, safely use PoCUS in a wide range of clinical settings to aid diagnosis and better the care of their patients.

Moving Beyond the Stethoscope: Diagnostic Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Pediatric Practice

Diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a growing field across all disciplines of pediatric practice. Machine accessibility and portability will only continue to grow, thus increasing exposure to this technology for both providers and patients. Individuals seeking training in POCUS should first identify their scope of practice to determine appropriate applications within their clinical setting, a few of which are discussed within this article. Efforts to build standardized POCUS infrastructure within specialties and institutions are ongoing with the goal of improving patient care and outcomes.

Point-of-Care Ultrasonography (POCUS) in a Community Emergency Department: An Analysis of Decision Making and Cost Savings Associated With POCUS

OBJECTIVES

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is an increasingly integral part of emergency medicine. This study investigated community emergency department physicians' choices regarding ultrasonography as a branch point in clinical decision making.

METHODS

During shifts covering all days of the week and all time-spans over a 3-month period, emergency department physicians were interviewed whenever POCUS was used. Questions focused on the role of POCUS in clinical management and on tests avoided because of ultrasonography use. Cost savings attributable to POCUS were calculated using Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and FairHealth data. Anonymization of data precluded follow-up testing to account for misdiagnosis.

RESULTS

On average, POCUS use eliminated $1134.31 of additional testing for privately insured patients, $2826.31 for out-of-network or uninsured patients, and $181.63 for Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services patients. Differences were significant when the total cost of eliminated additional testing was compared to a baseline of no savings (p < .001). Aggregate cost savings remained significant when analyses were broadened to include POCUS encounters that did not yield changes in management (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

When physicians' clinical expertise suggests that POCUS may be indicated, its use results in significant cost savings, even in encounters in which management is not directly impacted. POCUS, when incorporated earlier and more frequently into community hospital emergency medicine diagnostic protocols, can lower direct and indirect costs associated with diagnostic workups. Community emergency departments, in particular, would benefit from additional investigation informing specific guidelines for the integration of POCUS into clinical management and the role that this has in cost savings.

Point-of-care ultrasound diagnosis of stump appendicitis in the emergency department

Background

Stump appendicitis (SA) is a rare entity in patients with a history of appendectomy and may result in missed or delayed diagnosis. We report a case of SA diagnosed by emergency department (ED) point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in an elderly woman, thus expediting her care.

Case presentation

An elderly female patient with a history of appendectomy 27 years ago was referred by her physician to the ED with right lower quadrant pain for 2 days. Using PoCUS the emergency physician identified SA. This was confirmed by computed tomography (CT) scan. The patient was then successfully managed non-operatively using antibiotics.

Conclusions

Despite its rarity, it is feasible to diagnose SA using PoCUS, as patients presenting with right lower quadrant pain and history of appendectomy are at risk for delayed diagnosis, perforation, and poor outcome. PoCUS may reduce time to diagnosis, time to definitive operative or non-operative management, and minimize morbidity.

Diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for gastrointestinal pathology: state of the art from basics to advanced

The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by non-radiologists has dramatically increased. POCUS is completely different from the routine radiological studies. POCUS is a Physiological, On spot, extension of the Clinical examination, that is Unique, and Safe. This review aims to lay the basic principles of using POCUS in diagnosing intestinal pathologies so as to encourage acute care physicians to learn and master this important tool. It will be a useful primer for clinicians who want to introduce POCUS into their clinical practice. It will cover the basic physics, technical aspects, and simple applications including detection of free fluid, free intraperitoneal air, and bowel obstruction followed by specific POCUS findings of the most common intestinal pathologies encountered by acute care physicians including acute appendicitis, epiploic appendagitis, acute diverticulitis, pseudomembranous colitis, intestinal tuberculosis, Crohn’s disease, and colonic tumours. Deep understanding of the basic physics of ultrasound and its artefacts is the first step in mastering POCUS. This helps reaching an accurate POCUS diagnosis and avoiding its pitfalls. With increased skills, detailed and accurate POCUS findings of specific intestinal pathologies can be achieved and properly correlated with the clinical picture. We have personally experienced and enjoyed this approach to a stage that an ultrasound machine is always accompanying us in our clinical on calls and rounds.

Bedside Sonography Performed by Emergency Physicians to Detect Appendicitis in Children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of emergency physicians with various levels of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) experience to detect appendicitis with POCUS among children visiting a pediatric emergency department (ED).

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted in an urban, tertiary care pediatric ED. Children aged 2 to 18 years old who presented with acute abdominal pain suggesting appendicitis were included. Patients were excluded if they had a history of appendectomy or hemodynamic instability requiring resuscitation or were transferred with proven diagnosis of appendicitis. Participating physicians had various levels of POCUS experience. Four of the 22 physicians were experienced in bowel sonography while the others had basic experience in abdominal POCUS. All the participating physicians received a 1-hour didactic and practical training session on appendix ultrasound. The treating physician performed POCUS following initial physical examination, before further radiologic evaluation. POCUS examinations were recorded as positive for appendicitis, normal, or inconclusive, with normal or inconclusive studies considered negative. Final outcomes were determined by pathology and/or operative reports for surgical cases and telephone follow-up at 3 weeks for those who did not have surgery. The primary analysis was a simple proportion for sensitivity and specificity for POCUS. Expecting a sensitivity of 80% based on previous studies, we calculated that a sample size of 50 cases would provide a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 66% to 90%.

RESULTS

Of the 140 approached patients, 121 accepted to participate and were recruited. After four patients were excluded for missing POCUS data, 117 patients were included in the primary analysis, of whom 51 (44%) had appendicitis. Twenty-two physicians performed between one and 20 POCUS procedures. The POCUS was positive in 39, negative in nine, and inconclusive in 69 patients. POCUS was interpreted as positive in 27 of 51 appendicitis for a sensitivity of 0.53 (95% CI = 0.40-0.66). A negative or inconclusive POCUS was reported for 54 of 66 patients without appendicitis (specificity = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.71-0.89).

CONCLUSION

This study shows limited sensitivity and specificity of POCUS for appendicitis in children, with a high proportion of inconclusive examinations, when performed by emergency physicians with various level of experience in POCUS.

Improving diagnostic accuracy in clinically ambiguous paediatric appendicitis: a retrospective review of ultrasound and pathology findings with focus on the non-visualised appendix

OBJECTIVE

To compare pre-operative ultrasound to histopathological results and retrospectively assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in paediatric appendicitis.

METHODS

5 year review of all appendectomies performed in patients <16 years old in a tertiary referral university hospital. 983 patients had an appendicectomy over the time period while 189 patients had a preoperative ultrasound. We retrospectively reviewed all of the preoperative imaging in conjunction with the reports for the 189 patients; our aim was to determine the sensitivity of preoperative ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

RESULTS

Of the 189 patients who had an ultrasound, 102 had histology positive for appendicitis and 87 had normal histology. Sensitivity overall was 72.55% [95% confidence interval (CI) 62.82 to 80.92] and specificity was 77.01% (95% CI 66.75 to 85.36). A suggested ultrasound diagnosis of appendicitis made positive pathology three times more likely and a normal ultrasound made positive pathology three times less likely [positive-predictive value 3.16 (95% CI 2.11 to 4.72) negative predictive value 0.36 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.50)]. 77% (67/87) of the patients whose pathology was ultimately normal had an ultrasound which was either normal or suggested an alternative diagnosis. However, in the 33 (17%) of patients with a non-visualised appendix, no secondary signs of inflammation or alternative diagnosis 16 (48%) had pathologically confirmed appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy in clinically ambiguous appendicitis.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This paper furthers the evidence on the efficacy of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in acute appendicitis in children, especially when the diagnosis is clinically equivocal. It also sheds further light on the "non-visualized appendix" with almost half of these patients having pathologically confirmed appendicitis; meaning advanced imaging with CT or MR may be indicated in this cohort.

Diagnostic performance of emergency physician-performed point-of-care ultrasonography for acute appendicitis: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the sensitivity and specificity of emergency physician-performed point-of-care ultrasonography (EP-POCUS) for diagnosing acute appendicitis (AA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched, and the diagnostic performance of EP-POCUS was evaluated using bivariate modeling and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves. Subgroup analysis was performed for pediatric patients to compare EP-POCUS and radiologist-performed ultrasonography (RADUS). Meta-regression analyses were performed according to patient and study characteristics.

RESULTS

In 17 studies (2385 patients), EP-POCUS for diagnosing AA exhibited a pooled sensitivity of 84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 72%-92%) and a pooled specificity of 91% (95% CI: 85%-95%), with even better diagnostic performance for pediatric AA (sensitivity: 95%, 95% CI: 75%-99%; specificity: 95%, 95% CI: 85%-98%). A direct comparison revealed no significant differences (p = 0.18-0.85) between the diagnostic performances of EP-POCUS (sensitivity: 81%, 95% CI: 61%-90%; specificity: 89%, 95% CI: 77%-95%) and RADUS (sensitivity: 74%, 95% CI: 65%-81%; specificity: 97%, 95% CI: 93%-98%). The meta-regression analyses revealed that study location, AA proportion, and mean age were sources of heterogeneity. Higher sensitivity and specificity tended to be associated with an appendix diameter cut-off value of 7 mm and the EP as the initial operator.

CONCLUSION

The diagnostic performances of EP-POCUS and RADUS were excellent for AA, with EP-POCUS having even better performance for pediatric AA. Accurate diagnoses may be achieved when the attending EP is the initial POCUS operator and uses a 7-mm cut-off value.