Helical CT in the investigation of non traumatic acute abdomen in pediatric and adolescent patients

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the diagnostic yield of helical CT as an initial diagnostic procedure in patients with non traumatic acute abdomen. The study included 112 consecutive patients who were presented with acute abdomen to the emergency department of Al Yammamah maternity and pediatric hospital in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia during one year period. All of the patients were subjected to complete clinical examination, routine laboratory investigations, abdomen ultrasonography and helical CT abdomen and pelvis. CT established the overall causes of acute abdomen in 92.8% of the patients and provided information leading to change of management in 8% of the patients. CT established the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in 95.5% of the cases and correctly detected alternative lesions that clinically mimics acute appendicitis. Cases of urolithiasis and intussusception were diagnosed with an accuracy of 100%