ABSTRACT
Background: One of the most common referrals to a radio-diagnostician in their daily practice is an evaluation of right lower abdominal pain by ultrasound. Among the causes of right lower abdominal pain appendicitis is the most common pathology accounting for probably more than 70% of the causes of right lower abdominal pain. Materials and Methods: This is a study of patients operated for acute appendicitis in Surgical Department of Father Muller Medical College Hospital from October 2012 to September 2013. The patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were subjected to a radiological imaging, through anesthetic workup following which appendectomy was done and the excised specimen for histopathological examination. The collected data were analyzed. Results: Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) score in this study had a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 89.7%, the positive predictive value was 95% and the negative predictive value was found to be 89% which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The modified Alvarado scoring system had sensitivity and specificity of 81.1% and 87.2%, the positive predictive value was 81% and the negative predictive value was 87% for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Between the two scores, RIPASA score had a more statistical significance than the modified Alvarado scoring system statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Ultrasound plays a key role in diagnosing acute appendicitis and can be corelated well with the histology and both RIPASA score modified Alvarado scoring system are useful tools in evaluating acute appendicitis.