Appendicitis in children and young adults: Doppler sonographic-pathologic correlation.

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is accompanied by inflammatory hypervascularity reflected as an increased number of color signals and higher diastolic Doppler shifts as compared with those found in normal persons. No Doppler shifts are identified in areas of appendiceal ischemia. Other acute inflammation in the right lower quadrant also produces numerous Doppler shifts with high diastolic flow, as does ovulation. Care must be taken to identify the source of these Doppler signals. The changing vascularity of healing, recurrent, and chronic appendicitis promises to further our understanding of the pathogenesis and evolution of this disease.