Detection of ileocecal XXXX using ultrasound as the primary imaging modality.

@entity1 @entity30 @entity698
At our hospital ultrasound (US) is used as an initial screening procedure in all @entity1 with abdominal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of this policy on the detection of ileocecal @entity30 . We retrospectively studied all @entity1 with a new diagnosis of ileocecal @entity30 from our institute over the period 1990-2001. The final diagnosis was based on clinical follow-up and pathological, surgical, US, and other radiological findings. We noted who referred the @entity1 to the radiology department, what the initial clinical presumption was, and what the first imaging study was. US diagnoses were determined from the initial US report and US findings were registered from the images. There were a total of 47 @entity1 (20 @entity1 , 27 @entity1 ) with a mean age of 30 years and a median age of 27 years (range 14-75 years). In all @entity1 the initial imaging study was an abdominal US. Using US, a confident diagnosis of ileocecal @entity30 was made in 35 of the 47 @entity1 , @entity30 was suggested among the differential diagnosis in 10, and an incorrect diagnosis was made in 2 @entity1 . In 28 of 47 @entity1 , the referring physician did not consider @entity30 when requesting the initial US examination. In eight @entity1 with @entity698 -like symptoms, the US findings strongly influenced the decision to refrain from operation at that point in time. US, when used as a low-threshold diagnostic procedure, is a reliable and noninvasive means for making an early diagnosis of ileocecal @entity30 in @entity1 who present with atypical symptoms. It may prevent both unnecessary therapeutic delay as well as unnecessary surgery.
