ISSN: 2577-4379
Authors: Mustansar N*, Sulehria MGAUR, Khan CDY, Rafi MR, Khan NU, Arshad M
Objective: This prospective study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by emergency physicians versus traditional radiology ultrasound in the diagnosis of appendicitis. Design: It is a cross sectional prospective study carried out in the department of radiology ARIRI- MH RWP for a span of 9 months. Setting: Radiology department AFIRI-MH RWP. Study Duration: 9 months from Jan 2023 to October 2023. Methodology: A total of 100 patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of appendicitis were enrolled in the study. Fifty patients underwent POCUS performed by experienced emergency physicians with five years’ post-specialization experience, while the remaining 50 patients underwent traditional radiology ultrasound by an experienced radiologist, with five years of post-specialization experience. Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and turnaround time were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests to determine significant differences. Results: Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and turnaround time of POCUS was better than the traditional ultrasound. Conclusion: In this prospective study, point-of-care ultrasound performed by emergency physicians demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy and efficiency compared to traditional radiology ultrasound in the diagnosis of appendicitis.
Keywords: Appendicitis; Point-Of-Care Ultrasound; Radiology Ultrasound; Diagnostic Accuracy; Emergency Medicine; Prospective Study
