[Ultrasound and CT imaging in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis]

The diagnosis of acute appendicitis is still made on the basis of clinical findings in the majority of cases. When the clinical picture is unclear, ultrasound examination is a simple and effective tool to confirm the diagnosis. When ultrasound is unsatisfactory due to patient habitus or otherwise fails to clarify clinical uncertainty, abdominopelvic CT scan yields excellent results in terms of both sensitivity and specificity. While recognizing these evidence-based results, the surgeon must remain pragmatic and realize that the quality of each exam depends on the quality of the examination and the experience of the radiologist.