Appendiceal wall thickness and Alvarado score are predictive of acute appendicitis in the patients with equivocal computed tomography findings.

Around 8-13% of the patients who underwent CT scan for diagnosis of appendicitis had equivocal CT results. About one-third of these patients had acute appendicitis and this caused diagnostic challenge to the clinicians. This study was conducted to identify clinical and imaging features that were predictive of acute appendicitis in patients who had equivocal CT findings. During January 2015 to June 2021, we retrospectively included 103 consecutive CT scans of adult patients (22 men and 81 women; mean age, 39.1 ± 17.5 years) who had equivocal CT findings of acute appendicitis. Two readers, blinded to the clinical data, independently assessed CT images for the relevant CT findings of appendicitis. Any disagreement between the readers was solved by consensus. The clinical parameters and CT findings were analyzed and compared between the patients who had appendicitis and patients who did not have appendicitis. Thirty-one (30.1%) patients had appendicitis, all of which were non-complicated. The appendiceal wall thickness of ≥ 2 mm and the Alvarado score of ≥ 7 were independent predictors of appendicitis with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.76 (95% CI, 1.09-7.02) and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.12-1.94), respectively. The maximal appendiceal diameter was higher in the appendicitis group (7.2 ± 1.2 mm vs. 6.5 ± 1.0 mm), but not predictive of appendicitis. The rest of the clinical parameters and CT findings, including mucosal hyperenhancement, periappendiceal fat reticulation, thickening of peritoneal reflection, appendicolith, focal cecal thickening, and content in appendiceal lumen showed no significant difference between two groups. The appendiceal wall thickness and the Alvarado score were able to predict appendicitis in patients who had equivocal CT findings.

Usefulness and outcome of whole-body computed tomography (pan-scan) in trauma patients: A prospective study.

Background: Severe trauma can cause multi-organ injuries, and the mortality rate may increase if significant organ injuries are missed. This study was performed to determine whether whole-body computed tomography scan (pan-scan) can detect significant injury and leads to proper management, including alteration the priority of management. Methods: This prospective study was conducted from January 2019 to March 2021 and involved trauma patients level 1, level 2, and dangerous mechanism of trauma. Additionally, the data of trauma patients who had selective computed tomography scan were retrospectively reviewed to compared the clinical benefits. Results: Twenty-two patients were enrolled in the prospective study. The pan-scan detected significant organ injury in 86% of the patients. Prioritization of organ injury management changed after performance of the pan-scan in 64% (major change in 64.29% and minor change in 35.71%). Skull base fracture, small bowel injury, retroperitoneal injury, kidney and bladder injury, and occult pneumothorax were the majority of injuries which was not consider before underwent pan-scan (p < 0.05). The door-to-scan time tended to be shorter in the pan-scan group than in the selective scan group without a significant difference [mean (SD), 59.5 (34) and 72.0 (86) min, respectively; p = 0.13]. Pan-scan contribute 100% confidence for trauma surgeon in diagnosis of specific organ injuries in severe injured patients. Conclusions: The pan-scan facilitates timely detection of significant unexpected organ injuries such as the skull base, occult pneumothorax, small bowel, and retroperitoneum. It also helps to prioritize management and increases the diagnostic confidence of trauma surgeons, leading to better outcomes without delay.

Correlation between optic nerve sheath diameter measured on imaging with acute pathologies found on computed tomography of trauma patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlation between optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement with signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) found on computed tomography (CT) in trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 271 consecutive head CT trauma scans performed at our trauma center were retrospectively reviewed for ONSD and CT findings. Measurement of ONSD was made at CT and, when available, with ultrasonography (US). Imaging signs of increased ICP were assessed. Association between ONSD and signs of ICP were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean ONSD on axial CT images, optic-nerve axial plane and US was 4.70 ± 0.59 mm, 4.78 ± 0.59 mm, and 3.16 ± 0.50 mm, respectively. The ONSD measured at CT was significantly higher than that measured by US(p < 0.01). No difference of ONSD measured at CT between axial and optic-nerve axial planes. Patients with CT evidence of increased ICP had significantly higher ONSD than those without imaging abnormalities (p = 0.0001-0.0064). The ONSD cutoff points for suggesting increased ICP were 4.8 mm (60.5 % sensitivity, 61.2 % specificity, 20.4 % PPV, 90.4 % NPV) at CT and 3.15 mm (97.4 % sensitivity, 13.8 % specificity, 15.7 % PPV, 97 % NPV) at US. CONCLUSION: There was a significant association between ONSD and imaging signs of increased ICP in CT with a high NPV. No difference of ONSD measurement at CT between normal and optic-nerve axial planes was observed, whereas there was a significant difference between diameter obtained at CT and US.

There has to be an easier way: facet fracture characteristics that reliably differentiate AOSpine F1 and F2 injuries.

PURPOSE: To identify morphologic features of isolated cervical spine facet fractures that can reliably differentiate AOSpine F1 and F2 injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of cervical spine CTs on all patients who sustained isolated cervical fractures of the facets presenting to our level 1 trauma center from August 2012 through December 2015. CTs were reviewed for facet fracture characteristics and AOSpine facet fracture classification. Association between facet fracture characteristics and AOSpine classification was assessed through multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients with cervical spine fractures isolated to the facets were included in the study. The mean age was 36 (range 9-90) years with 55.4% (n = 31) males. A significant correlation was found between subtype F1 and subtype F2 in laterality (left- or right-sided) (p = 0.004), interfacetal fracture involvement (p < 0.0001), transverse process involvement (p < 0.001), displacement of fracture fragment (p < 0.001), comminution of fracture (p < 0.0001), and vertebral arch disruption (p = 0.001). After multivariable analysis, left side laterality (p = 0.03), transverse process involvement (p = 0.01), and fracture comminution (p = 0.003) were associated with F2 fractures. CONCLUSION: Facet fractures with transverse process involvement or comminution have a higher probability of being an F2 fracture. These characteristics may be helpful when categorizing facet fractures using the AOSpine classification.