Ultrasound, CT May Reduce Unneeded Appendectomies in Women of Reproductive Age
Women in their reproductive years whose symptoms suggest appendicitis should undergo imaging before undergoing surgery, according to Dr. R. Brooke Jeffrey, a radiologist from Stanford University. The remarks were made at a Stanford University conference on imaging and were reported in DiagnosticImaging.Com.1 Click for article.
The reason for pre-surgery imaging is that the symptoms of many gynecological conditions resemble those of appendicitis, according to Jeffrey. Imaging with CT or ultrasound, or both, can prevent unnecessary surgeries, thereby reducing risks for patients, length of hospital stays, and overall costs, since appendectomy costs $25,000.
"The single most important benefit of imaging is reducing unnecessary surgery," said Jeffrey in the article.
- A 2002 study2 by Jeffrey and colleagues reported in Radiology that unnecessary surgeries dropped from 28% for those women who had not received imaging to 7% for those who had received CT and 8% for those who had received ultrasound. The authors concluded that this significant reduction meant that imaging should be a part of the routine evaluation of women suspected of having acute appendicitis.
- "Imaging May Save Women from Needless Appendectomy," Hayes E. DiagnosticImaging.com, June 19, 2006.
- "Imaging for Suspected Appendicitis: Negative Appendectomy and Perforation Rates," Bendeck SE, Nino-Murcia M, Berry GJ, Jeffrey RB, Radiology, 2002, Vol. 225, pp. 131-136.
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