title: Correlation of peritoneal aspiration cytology with acute appendicitis.
abstract: Fifty-one patients in whom a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis had been made underwent peritoneal aspiration cytology (PAC). Thirty-six had a positive result, 11 had a negative result and aspiration failed in four cases. All patients had an appendicectomy and the histological findings were correlated with the PAC results. Thirty-five of the 36 patients with a positive PAC had histologically proven appendicitis. Seven of the 11 patients with a negative result had normal appendices. The sensitivity of PAC for acute appendicitis was 85% and the specificity was 70%. The positive predictive value was found to be 97% and the negative predictive value 60%. Peritoneal aspiration cytology is a useful aid in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis however, a negative result does not exclude this diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Waterford Regional Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity