[Ultrasound appendix imaging in mucoviscidosis patients].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the presentation of the appendix in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to a healthy control group and patients with acute appendicitis using high resolution graded compression sonography.


METHODS
59 CF patients (mean age 11 years), 54 healthy children (mean age 9 years) and 322 patients with histologically proven acute appendicitis were evaluated by sonography. A blind ending tubular structure in longitudinal sections and a target-like figure in cross sections without peristalsis was considered as appendix. The maximum distance between the outer echolucent layers was calculated as diameter.


RESULTS
In 20%, 67% and 90% of the cases, the appendix was identified in the CF-group, healthy children, and patients with acute appendicitis. The mean diameters were 9.8, 3.9, and 10.9 mm respectively. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001 and p < 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
The appendiceal mucocele in cystic fibrosis is an uncommon but important differential diagnosis of the acute appendicitis.
Hahn
H
H
Kinderradiologische Abteilung der Kinderklinik, Technischen Universität München. H.Hahn@Lrz.tum.de
von Kalle
T
T
Pfadler
E
E
Franz
R
R
Hilz
B
B
Färber
D
D
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001065:Appendix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009078:Mucocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography