title: Appendiceal filling by double-contrast barium enema.
abstract: The barium enema is a safe and useful diagnostic modality in the evaluation of patients with suspected acute appendicitis. Complete appendiceal filling with barium virtually excludes this diagnosis. Frequently positive diagnostic information is obtained. Only 1 study in the literature documents the frequency of normal appendiceal filling by barium enema. The authors utilized the single-contrast technique. We recorded the frequency of normal appendiceal filling with the double-contrast technique and then compared our data with the previously published study to determine if there is a significant clinical disadvantage to the double-contrast technique when acute appendicitis is a diagnostic consideration.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001065:Appendix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004733:Enema; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate