Finding Waldo: Sonographic systematic approach to localize the appendix in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Medical Education
• Diagnostic Ultrasound

Background:

• Identifying the normal appendix in children via ultrasound can be challenging for trainees.
• Standardized approaches are crucial for improving diagnostic accuracy in pediatric sonography.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a systematic sonographic scanning method for appendix identification in children.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this technique in enhancing radiology trainees' skills.

Main Methods:

• An uncontrolled pre- and post-test study design was employed.
• Radiology trainees underwent a hands-on workshop focusing on anatomical landmarks for appendix detection.
• Pre- and post-course assessments measured the ability to identify the normal appendix in healthy children.

Main Results:

• The proportion of trainees correctly identifying the appendix increased from 20% pre-course to 83% post-course.
• Participants reported finding the appendix easier to locate after the training.
• No significant change in self-reported confidence levels was observed.

Conclusions:

• A systematic scanning approach combined with short, targeted training significantly improves the identification of the normal appendix in pediatric ultrasound.
• This training methodology is valuable for both radiology trainees and non-radiologists performing pediatric sonography.