SONOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT PAIN OTHERTHEN APPENDICITIS

Most patients presenting with right lower quadrant pain are clinically suspected to have acute appendicitis, However, sonographic findings o ther than appendicitis are detected in patients who are referred for u ltrasound to rule out appendicitis. This pictorial essay delineates a number of unsuspected pathological conditions revealed by ultrasound e xamination of the right lower quadrant that do not involve the appendi x but closely mimic acute appendicitis. Imaging studies play a signifi cant role in preoperative diagnosis and determination of proper treatm ent, The patient can undergo triage for proper further workup and surg ical versus nonsurgical management. Acute appendicitis initially was c onsidered on clinical presentation in all of our patients. The correct diagnosis of other pathological conditions was made on the basis of s onographic findings.