Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0665
ISSN: 2161-0665
Gboyega Ogunmefun
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Pediat Therapeut
Appendicitis is the most prevalent cause of acute abdominal pain in children requiring surgical intervention. The global incidence of appendicitis increases from 1-2 cases per 10,000 children aged less than 4 years to 25 cases per 10,000 children aged 10-17 years. The atypical symptoms presentation of appendicitis in children means a substantial number of cases may be misdiagnosed if diagnostic pathway relies only on clinical examination and laboratory investigations. The primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in determining the presence of appendicitis in children following an inconclusive ultrasound examination and established whether gadolinium adds value to diagnostic process. A secondary aim was to determine the average scan time and optimal diagnostic sequence for MRI examination of children with suspected appendicitis. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify primary research studies. A search of Medline, CINAHL, PubMed Central and Google Scholar was undertaken and supplemented by review of reference lists, author searching and review of NICE evidence base for existing guidelines. 7 primary articles were identified and included in the systematic review article. Pooled sensitivity and specificity estimated from the included studies showed a range of values for MRI in pediatric appendicitis. Pulse sequence, scan time, contrast agent, and other MRI parameters were extracted from the included studies. MRI can offer a viable alternative to pediatric appendicitis cases where ultrasound becomes indeterminate or a primary imaging tool where availability is guaranteed round the clock.
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