Ultrasonography as an aid to diagnosis and treatment in a rural African hospital: A prospective study of 1,119 cases

The aim of this study was to assess the utility of ultrasonography in a rur al African hospital in Cameroon with scarce resources. A prospective questi onnaire was administered and completed for each of the 1,119 consecutive ca ses included in the study. Among these 1,119 cases, the diagnosis made by c linicians and by echography could be verified by another means for 323 pati ents. Ultrasonography showed abnormal findings in 78% of the cases. In the group of 323 patients in which the diagnosis made by echography could be ve rified, it was correct in 95.4% of the cases, erroneous in 4.6% of the case s, judged useful for diagnosis in 67.8% of the cases, and not contributive in 27.6% of the cases. Ultrasonography was judged useful when treatment was decided upon in 62% of the cases. This study demonstrated the value of ult rasonography in the context of a developing country and the conditions by w hich its use could be delineated.