Wiersma Fraukje, Srámek Alexandr, Holscher Herma C
Department of Radiology, Juliana Children's Hospital, Sportlaan 600, the Hague, The Netherlands.
Radiology. 2005 Jun;235(3):1018-22. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2353040086.
To evaluate prospectively the frequency of depiction with ultrasonography (US) of the appendix in children without clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis and to evaluate the US appearance of the normal appendix.
Between March 2003 and July 2003, 146 consecutive patients (62 boys and 84 girls; mean age, 7 years; age range, 2-15 years) without clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis were examined with US. Patients with cystic fibrosis and those with acute abdominal pain were excluded from the study. Outer diameters, mural thickness, and color Doppler flow were measured. Appendiceal lumen and surroundings of the appendix were determined. The overall diameter and mural thickness of the appendix were examined for relationship to age, weight, or height of the patient. For statistical analysis, the Mann-Whitney test, Student t test, and linear regression analysis were applied.
In 120 (82%) children, the appendix was depicted with US; in 26 (18%) children, this was not possible. In 114 (95%) of the depicted appendices, the position was classical; we observed six (5%) retrocecal appendices. All appendices were compressible. Mean diameter of the appendix was 0.39 cm (range, 0.21-0.64 cm), and the mean mural thickness was 0.18 cm (range, 0.11-0.27 cm). The appendiceal lumen was empty in 74 (62%) children. The others were filled with fecal material, gas, or both. In 75 (51%) of the 146 children, lymph nodes were present in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. We found no relation between the age, weight, or height of the examined child and the overall diameter or wall of the appendix.
The results of this study show that a normal appendix can be depicted with US in 82% of asymptomatic children.
前瞻性评估超声（US）对无急性阑尾炎临床疑似症状儿童阑尾的显示频率，并评估正常阑尾的超声表现。
2003年3月至2003年7月，对146例无急性阑尾炎临床疑似症状的连续患者（62例男孩和84例女孩；平均年龄7岁；年龄范围2至15岁）进行了超声检查。排除患有囊性纤维化和急性腹痛的患者。测量外径、壁厚度和彩色多普勒血流。确定阑尾腔及阑尾周围情况。检查阑尾的总体直径和壁厚度与患者年龄、体重或身高的关系。进行统计分析时，应用了曼-惠特尼检验、学生t检验和线性回归分析。
120例（82%）儿童的阑尾可通过超声显示；26例（18%）儿童则无法显示。在显示的阑尾中，114例（95%）位置典型；观察到6例（5%）盲肠后阑尾。所有阑尾均可压缩。阑尾平均直径为0.39 cm（范围0.21至0.64 cm），平均壁厚度为0.18 cm（范围0.11至0.27 cm）。74例（62%）儿童的阑尾腔内为空的。其他则充满粪便物质、气体或两者皆有。146例儿童中有75例（51%）在右下腹部存在淋巴结。我们未发现受检儿童的年龄、体重或身高与阑尾的总体直径或壁之间存在关联。
本研究结果表明，在82%的无症状儿童中，超声可显示正常阑尾。
