APPENDICITIS IN CHILDHOOD

From 1989 to 1995 high-resolution ultrasonography (US) was performed i n 3,546 children (age: 1-17 years) with clinically suspected appendici tis. A total of 518 patients underwent laparotomy; 420 had histologica lly proven acute or perforated appendicitis (prevalence 11.8 %). In th ese children, the sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of US examination were 90 %, 97 % and 96 % respectively. The use of US in cl inically doubtful acute abdomen may allow earlier diagnosis of acute a ppendicitis; in 1995 the rate of unnecessary appendectomy was reduced to 13 %.