Abdominal pains may well have a simple origin if they are caused by overeating or minor ailments, but in some cases they are symptoms of a more insidious and serious pathology - appendicitis. In this case, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, since this disease is dangerous with severe consequences for the human body and can be fatal if the appendix is allowed to rupture. Can an ultrasound show appendicitis?
How is a disease diagnosed?
Detection of appendicitis is carried out using various research methods. In some cases, a latent course of inflammation or a weak severity of the main signs is possible. Such situations require an ultrasound for appendicitis, the purpose of which is to exclude other diseases that have similar symptoms. It must be said that ultrasound reachesninety percent accurate.
Causes of Appendicitis
As a rule, appendicitis develops due to the influence of polymicrobial flora, which is represented by staphylococci, Escherichia coli, anaerobes, strepto-, staphylo- and enterococci. Pathogens penetrate the wall of the appendix from the lumen, that is, in an enterogenic way.
Also, the conditions for the occurrence of appendicitis are created during stagnation of the intestinal contents in the appendix due to its kink, as well as the presence of hyperplasia of lymphoid tissue, fecal stones and foreign bodies in the lumen.
A certain role is played by the peculiarities of nutrition and the location of the process, excessive consumption of meat and a tendency to constipation, as a result of which a large amount of protein breakdown products is collected in the intestinal contents, and this forms a favorable environment for the reproduction of various pathogenic microorganisms. Whether an ultrasound will see appendicitis is of interest to many.
In addition to mechanical causes, parasitic and infectious diseases, such as typhoid fever, intestinal tuberculosis, amoebiasis and yersiniosis, can cause appendicitis.
In pregnant women, the risk of appendicitis increases due to the increase in the size of the uterus and changes in the position of the appendix and caecum. They also have factors that predispose to appendicitis, such as a restructuring of the immune system, constipation, and changes in the blood supply to the pelvic organs.
When is an ultrasound needed?
Appendicitis is an acute inflammation of the appendix requiring surgic altherapy. Although this appendix is a vestigial organ, it still performs three main functions:
- collects and grows colonies of beneficial intestinal microflora;
- produces a number of hormones;
- acts as a barrier that blocks the movement of various kinds of infections.
Although a number of experts consider this organ useful (although it was previously argued that it is useless and harmful), when it becomes inflamed, it is required to get rid of it surgically. The best way that helps to identify appendicitis in the absence of a pronounced clinical picture is ultrasound. Your doctor may order an abdominal exam if:
- when the patient complains of pain of any intensity, concentrated in various places of the abdomen (most often appendicitis is characterized by pain in the lower abdomen or iliac region on the right side);
- the doctor has preliminary information of the examination and anamnesis, which allow suspecting appendicitis;
- a blood test, along with an increase in leukocytes, reflects a shift in the formula to the left: in this case, it is necessary to exclude the patient's inflammation of the process of the caecum or non-specific symptoms.
Atypical situations
Ultrasound for appendicitis is also performed in atypical situations, especially for pregnant women, children and the elderly, as well as for patients who are weakened by other diseases. They may feel pain in the wrong places that are more likely to bother with appendicitis. Thanks to ultrasound, you can stop doubting the origin of pain in people with an abnormal location of the appendix. This vestigial organ may not be located in different people as shown in anatomical manuals. Since this part of the caecum is characterized by mobility, it is able to change its direction in the abdominal cavity. That is why pain may not occur in those places that are characteristic of classical type appendicitis. In this situation, methods such as ultrasound and computed tomography are most often used. Ultrasound for appendicitis is used more widely because it is affordable, costs less, and is faster. In addition, not all hospitals are equipped with CT units.
Ultrasound Benefits
If appendicitis is characterized by dangerous complications, such as perforation, sepsis and gangrenization, then immediate surgical intervention is required. When the symptoms are well expressed, specialists take into account the clinical picture as a whole. However, with an implicit manifestation of signs or an atypical course of appendicitis, any delay in the operation can cost the patient his life. In this case, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound examination of the appendix. Thanks to this procedure, it becomes possible to analyze the current state of a person. In addition, almost half of the pathologies of the abdominal cavity are characterized by symptoms that resemble acute appendicitis. Complicates everything thatthe location of the appendix can be completely different, as a result of which there are differences in the nature of pain and the characteristics of inflammation. It is the ultrasound of the abdominal cavity with appendicitis that allows you to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe timely and competent treatment to the patient.
How was it before?
Until the 1980s, X-ray radiation from barium was used. Now ultrasound has become safer and can be safely used even for examining children and pregnant women. Many experts believe that computed tomography is a more accurate method. However, ultrasound is not inferior to him at all and at the same time it is distinguished by its availability and lower cost. If the situation is urgent, then they resort primarily to ultrasound, since it allows you to quickly obtain information about the patient's condition.
So appendicitis can be seen on ultrasound.
This is especially handy in detecting appendix inflammation in pregnant women and children. Due to the anatomical specifics, diagnosing appendicitis using classical methods is quite difficult. In addition, children often cannot clearly and coherently explain exactly where they feel pain, which makes it difficult to make a diagnosis, which means it is impossible to prescribe the correct treatment.
However, ultrasound has its drawbacks. For example, due to improper preparation for the procedure, bloating or overweight of the patient, certain areas of the abdominal cavity may not be reflected on the monitor screen. Howeverthe final diagnosis and determination of treatment is the responsibility of the surgeon, as ultrasound is only a means of gathering information.
Does ultrasound detect appendicitis, we explained.
Preparation for the procedure and its implementation
Appendicitis ultrasound does not require any special preparation. In addition, this procedure is often carried out according to vital indications. If a patient is brought to a medical facility with acute symptoms, then only an ultrasound will help confirm the diagnosis as quickly as possible. If the examination is planned, then it is advisable not to overeat, not to eat food that causes a meteorite, and come on an empty stomach. The study is performed in exactly the same way as in the case of the analysis of other organs of the abdominal cavity. Most often, a simple abdominal sensor is used for this purpose, which allows diagnosing pathology through the abdominal wall, as well as a special gel that enhances contact and improves conductivity. The patient needs to come with a diaper and a towel (or napkin). Very rarely, in women with a deviated or abnormally low location of the appendix, a study using a vaginal probe is used, thanks to which extraneous conditions and diseases, such as ovarian apoplexy, adnexitis, or ectopic pregnancy, can be ruled out.
Appendicitis will be seen on ultrasound. Correct transcription is important.
Data decryption
Ultrasound allows you to get an unambiguous and clear picture of the disease. The monitor displays an inflamed appendix in an enlarged view, surrounded by exudate. If athe stage is gangrenous, then traces of purulent contents are noticeable, which is released from the process. When pain is not associated with appendicitis, the process is of the usual size and does not contain signs of inflammation.
Conclusion
In some cases it is not possible to make a definitive diagnosis. This usually happens in the borderline condition of the appendix, when it is inflamed or enlarged, but does not have a clear picture that allows an accurate diagnosis and send the patient for surgery.
Similarly conflicting data can be obtained during the study of an overweight person or with a lot of gas in the intestines. In such a situation, it is best to perform a CT scan and refer the patient for additional tests. Thanks to an integrated approach in severe cases, you can confidently confirm or rule out the presence of appendicitis.
Will an ultrasound show appendicitis? The answer is unequivocal - yes, it will.
