Yousef El-Gohary1, Maria Molina2, Jeremy Chang3, Ashley Dodd3, Emily Miller3, Camden Harrell4, Fang Wang5, Hui Zhang6, Andrew M Davidoff7, Israel Fernandez-Pineda2, Andrew J Murphy7, Eunice Y Huang8. 1. Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. Electronic address: yousef.gohary@gmail.com. 2. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen Del Rocio, Sevilla, Spain. 3. College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. 4. Department of Biostatistics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. 5. Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. 6. Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Division of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. 7. Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. 8. Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.. Electronic address: eunice.huang@vumc.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Appendicitis in children can be diagnosed utilizing clinical and laboratory findings, with the assistance of ultrasound (US) and/or computed tomography (CT). However, repeated exposure to ionizing radiation increases the lifetime risk of cancer. We compared the work-up of suspected appendicitis between a children's hospital in the United States (USA) and one in Spain to identify differences in imaging use and associated outcomes. METHODS: A two-institution retrospective review was performed for surgical consultations of suspected appendicitis from 2015-2017. We compared imaging use, the utilization of overnight observation, and diagnostic accuracy rates between the two centers. RESULTS: A total of 1,952 children were evaluated. Among the 1,288 in the USA center, 754(58.5%) underwent CT during their evaluation. The most common imaging modality was US only (39.9%), then CT only (39.3%), CT+US (19.3%), and no imaging (i.e. only clinical acumen) (1.6%). In Spain, only 19 (2.9%) of 664 children underwent CT compared to the USA (p < 0.0001). Only clinical acumen was the most common modality employed (48.6%), followed by US only (48.5%), US+CT (2.4%), and CT only (0.5%). In the USA, 16.8% were observed overnight, 2.3% of whom received no imaging. In Spain, 33.4% were observed overnight, 32.4% of whom had no imaging (p < 0.0001). The accuracy rates for diagnosing appendicitis in the USA and Spain centers were 94.7% and 95.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Use of clinical acumen and/or US have similar clinical outcomes and similar accuracy rates compared to heavy reliance on CT imaging for diagnosing appendicitis, with associated decrease in radiation exposure. The disparate diagnostic approach of the two centers may reflect that physical examination is a dying art in North America. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
BACKGROUND:Appendicitis in children can be diagnosed utilizing clinical and laboratory findings, with the assistance of ultrasound (US) and/or computed tomography (CT). However, repeated exposure to ionizing radiation increases the lifetime risk of cancer. We compared the work-up of suspected appendicitis between a children's hospital in the United States (USA) and one in Spain to identify differences in imaging use and associated outcomes. METHODS: A two-institution retrospective review was performed for surgical consultations of suspected appendicitis from 2015-2017. We compared imaging use, the utilization of overnight observation, and diagnostic accuracy rates between the two centers. RESULTS: A total of 1,952 children were evaluated. Among the 1,288 in the USA center, 754(58.5%) underwent CT during their evaluation. The most common imaging modality was US only (39.9%), then CT only (39.3%), CT+US (19.3%), and no imaging (i.e. only clinical acumen) (1.6%). In Spain, only 19 (2.9%) of 664 children underwent CT compared to the USA (p < 0.0001). Only clinical acumen was the most common modality employed (48.6%), followed by US only (48.5%), US+CT (2.4%), and CT only (0.5%). In the USA, 16.8% were observed overnight, 2.3% of whom received no imaging. In Spain, 33.4% were observed overnight, 32.4% of whom had no imaging (p < 0.0001). The accuracy rates for diagnosing appendicitis in the USA and Spain centers were 94.7% and 95.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Use of clinical acumen and/or US have similar clinical outcomes and similar accuracy rates compared to heavy reliance on CT imaging for diagnosing appendicitis, with associated decrease in radiation exposure. The disparate diagnostic approach of the two centers may reflect that physical examination is a dying art in North America. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.