Ultrasound of Appendicitis

A practical guide to the use of ultrasound in the investigation of acute pain in the right lower abdomen, providing details of all the features of appendicitis and the conditions that may mimic it. The non-surgical management of the appendiceal mass is revised in this text.

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This monograph is written for all radiologists and clinicians actively involved in ultrasound of the acute abdomen. The ultrasound features of appendicitis, and all conditions that clinically may mimic it, are covered. The book is a practical guide, emphasizing the central role of ultrasound in the clinical management of patients with acute pain in the right lower abdomen. The additional role of CT and conventional radiology is also demonstrated in numerous case studies. Ultrasound has already proven to be very effective in reducing the number of unnecessary operations as well as avoiding ill-advised delay in patients who do need an operation. Moreover, ultrasound has given new insight into the pathophysiology and the differential diagnosis of appendicitis. Important new entities such as abortive appendicitis and bacterial ileocaecitis are introduced. The non-surgical management of the appendiceal mass is thoroughly revised with special emphasis on percutaneous abscess drainage.