MDCT diagnosis of appendicitis using only coronal reformations

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Abdominal Imaging

Background:

• Appendicitis diagnosis commonly relies on computed tomography (CT) scans.
• Traditional CT interpretation involves reviewing both transverse and coronal image reformations.
• Optimizing CT interpretation workflows is crucial for efficient patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of diagnosing appendicitis using solely coronal reformations from CT scans.
• To determine if coronal reformations alone can replace the combined use of transverse and coronal views for appendicitis detection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of abdominal and pelvic CT scans from 53 patients (27 with appendicitis, 26 without).
• Scans were acquired using a four-slice multi-detector row CT scanner.
• Radiologists, blinded to clinical outcomes, assessed appendix visualization and appendicitis presence on coronal reformations.

Main Results:

• Coronal reformations alone demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy: 96% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 98% accuracy.
• No false positives were observed using coronal reformations.
• Coronal reformations reduced the number of images reviewed by 19%, streamlining the interpretation process.

Conclusions:

• Diagnosing appendicitis based on coronal reformations alone is a feasible and accurate approach.
• This method offers comparable diagnostic performance to traditional multiplanar review.
• Utilizing coronal reformations can enhance radiologist efficiency in appendicitis diagnosis.