[The use of imaging in the case of suspected acute appendicitis: opinion of Dutch surgeons].

OBJECTIVE

To gauge the opinion of Dutch surgeons concerning the use of ultrasound and CT in the case of a suspected acute appendicitis.

DESIGN

Written survey.

METHOD

All 1020 members of the Association of the Surgeons of the Netherlands received a questionnaire with 8 statements concerning the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The statements could be answered with 'agree', 'disagree', or 'no opinion'.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was returned by 439 members (43%). A majority (64%) of these respondents established the diagnosis acute appendicitis on the basis of clinical symptoms, whereas a minority (22%) routinely performed ultrasound. For a classical presentation, 45% of the respondents thought ultrasound was indicated; for less than 3 classical symptoms, 70% of the respondents thought ultrasound was indicated. For women of fertile age, 74% of the respondents thought ultrasound was indicated. Approximately half (46%) of the surgeons always had access to a radiologist who could reliably perform ultrasound imaging, whereas 34% did not. The combination of ultrasound and CT was considered to be a reliable diagnostic procedure by 74% of the surgeons.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the surgeons considered acute appendicitis to be mainly a clinical diagnosis.