title: Diagnostic Usefulness of Low-Dose Nonenhanced Computed Tomography With Coronal Reformations in Patients With Suspected Acute Appendicitis: A Comparison With Standard-Dose Computed Tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to evaluate the usefulness of low-dose (LD) nonenhanced CT (NECT) with coronal reformation in diagnosing acute appendicitis and to compare LD NECT with standard-dose (SD) NECT and SD contrast-enhanced CT (CECT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 452 patients suspected of having acute appendicitis underwent CT using a scan 1 (SD NECT and SD CECT1, n = 182) or a scan 2 protocol (LD NECT and SD CECT2, n = 270). The diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement for diagnosing acute appendicitis were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the area under the curves of both reviewers of LD NECT were lower than those of SD CECT2, area under the curves of both reviewers for SD NECT were not significantly different for SD CECT1 and LD NECT (all P > 0.05). The interobserver agreements within each scan were excellent (all κ > 0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose NECT with coronal reformation showed high diagnostic performance and can be used as the first-line imaging tool in the work-up of patients with suspected acute appendicitis.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University; and †Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Hyun Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dal Mo
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Jong Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sung Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult