title: Suspected appendicitis in the pregnant patient.
abstract: ABSTRACT Appendicitis is the most common nonobstetric cause of abdominal pain in pregnancy. Pregnant patients may present with an atypical examination, thereby challenging clinicians. National specialty organizations recommend that nonionizing imaging options be pursued to aid in early diagnosis. Multiple studies suggest that magnetic resonance imaging technology is a safe and accurate alternative to ionizing imaging such as X-ray or computerized tomography imaging. A standard protocol that incorporates magnetic resonance imaging technology in the evaluation of the pregnant patient is proposed.
authors.affiliation: United States Navy Nurse Corps, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.affiliation: Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL.. Electronic address: pmarzal@luc.edu.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marzalik
mesh_terms: D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography