Diagnostic value of ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology

The diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women often is difficult to make on the basis of clinical findings, and radiologic examination is limited because of the potentially hazardous effects of radiation. This research is to assess the value of sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women. We obtained sonograms in (45) pregnant women with clinically suspected acute appendicitis. Our sonographic technique included graded-compression scanning. The left lateral decubitus position was used in the third trimester of gestation. The sonographic criterion for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was visualization of an incompressible appendix with a maximal diameter greater than (7 mm).