[Detection of diseases mimicking acute appendicitis using ultrasonography]

Using the method of graded compression the author examined by ultrasonography a total of 1318 patients with an equivocal clinical finding of acute appendicitis. In patients where finally appendicitis was not verified a wide spectrum of other diseases was detected including gastrointestinal (n = 406), biliary (n = 12), gynaecological (n = 72), urological (n = 12) and other (n = 7) pathological conditions using sonography. Sonography is a useful differential diagnostic modality which makes it possible to visualize diseases which clinically imitate appendicitis.