Wall pluristratification: A further ultrasonographic sign of acute appendicitis

Aim of the study was evaluate new US signs, other than the already known, that are positive correlated with histophatological results and that can improve diagnostic accuracy, in case of normal maximal outer diameter, absence of periappendicular fluid or clinical doubts Our study is based on the diagnosis of appendicitis only with the use of UltraSonography. 373 Patients underwent UltraSonography exam, performed by 2 radiologists not sharing information between them and without knowing laboratories and clinical parameters. Out of 373, we retrospectively analyzed UltraSonographic findings related to 102 Patients who had positive pathological specimens. No one had perforated appendicitis. For each patient, we evaluated age, sex, maximal outer diameter, ColorDoppler positivity, periappendicular free fluid and pattern stratification (from 1 to 4 layers). Statistical analysis was performed by Matlab statistical toolbox version 2008 (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA) for Windows at 32 bit. The most frequent stratification pattern is HYPO-HYPER-HYPO (p