Appendicitis differential diagnosis
Appendicitis Microchapters |
Diagnosis |
---|
Treatment |
Case Studies |
Appendicitis On the Web |
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Appendicitis |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Appendicitis must be differentiated from other causes of abdominal pain such as acute gastroenteritis and luminal obstruction. In children, appendicitis should be differentiated from mesenteric adenitis, Meckel's diverticulum, intussusception, Henoch-Schõnlein purpura, and lobar pneumonia. In adults, appendicitis should be differentiated from renal colic, perforated peptic ulcer, testicular torsion, pancreatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, and torsion/rupture of ovarian cyst. Appendicitis in elderly patients must be differentiated from diverticulitis, intestinal obstruction, colonic carcinoma, mesenteric infarction, and leaking aortic aneurysm.
Differentiating Appendicitis from other Diseases
Since appendicitis presents as the general symptom of abdominal pain, appendicitis must be differentiated from other diseases and disorders causing similar pain and symptoms. This differentiation can be done according to four categories: surgical, urological, gynaecological, and medical.[1]
Surgical
- Intestinal obstruction
- Intussusception
- Acute cholecystitis
- Perforated peptic ulcer
- Mesenteric adenitis
- Colonic/appendicular diverticulitis
- Pancreatitis
- Rectus sheath haematoma
Urological
- Right ureteric colic
- Right pyelonephritis
- Urinary tract infection
Gynaecological
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Ruptured ovarian follicle
- Torted ovarian cyst
- Salpingitis/pelvic inflammatory disease
Medical
- Gastroenteritis
- Pneumonia
- Terminal ileitis
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Porphyria
Other Causes Mimicking Appendicitis at any Age
In general: [2]
- Acute Gastroenteritis
- Luminal obstruction caused by:
- Barium
- Fecaliths
- Foreign body
- Fruit seeds
- Hypertrophy of the lymphatic tissue
- Parasites
- Stricture