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Appendicitis in Adults and Children: Evidence-Based Emergency Imaging

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Evidence-Based Emergency Imaging

Part of the book series: Evidence-Based Imaging ((Evidence-Based Imag.))

Abstract

Appendicitis is a common disease of both the pediatric and adult population. CT demonstrates superior sensitivity and specificity for appendicitis compared to ultrasound in the adult population, with less variability, and is the imaging modality of choice in nonpregnant patients. The use of IV contrast enhanced CT is adequate for diagnosing appendicitis obviating the need for enteral contrast. However, in the pregnant patient, MRI is recommended when available. In the pediatric population, increasing concerns about ionizing radiation warrant the use of US followed by CT for negative or equivocal cases in the nonobese child.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the work of Drs. C. Craig Blackmore, Erin A. Cooke, and Gregory David Avey. This current chapter represents a significant revision and substantial update of their chapter (Imaging of Appendicitis in Adults and Pediatric Patients in Medina LS et al., eds: Evidence-Based Imaging: Improving the Quality of Imaging in Patient Care. NY: Springer Science; 2011), incorporating the most current evidence.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Booth Aldred & Laura B. Eisenmenger

  2. Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Marta E. Heilbrun

Authors
  1. Booth Aldred
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  2. Laura B. Eisenmenger
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  3. Marta E. Heilbrun
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Booth Aldred or Marta E. Heilbrun .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Division of Cardio-Thoracic Radiology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Aine Kelly

  2. Department of Radiology, Division of Cardio-Thoracic Radiology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Paul Cronin

  3. Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Stefan Puig

  4. Department of Radiology, University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Lexington, KY, USA

    Kimberly E. Applegate

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Aldred, B., Eisenmenger, L.B., Heilbrun, M.E. (2018). Appendicitis in Adults and Children: Evidence-Based Emergency Imaging. In: Kelly, A., Cronin, P., Puig, S., Applegate, K. (eds) Evidence-Based Emergency Imaging. Evidence-Based Imaging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67066-9_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67066-9_19

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67064-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67066-9

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