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How to differentiate acute pelvic inflammatory disease from acute appendicitis ? A decision tree based on CT findings

  • Emergency Radiology
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Abstract

Purpose

To construct a decision tree based on CT findings to differentiate acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) from acute appendicitis (AA) in women with lower abdominal pain and inflammatory syndrome.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent was waived. Contrast-enhanced CT studies of 109 women with acute PID and 218 age-matched women with AA were retrospectively and independently reviewed by two radiologists to identify CT findings predictive of PID or AA. Surgical and laboratory data were used for the PID and AA reference standard. Appropriate tests were performed to compare PID and AA and a CT decision tree using the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm was generated.

Results

The median patient age was 28 years (interquartile range, 22–39 years). According to the decision tree, an appendiceal diameter ≥ 7 mm was the most discriminating criterion for differentiating acute PID and AA, followed by a left tubal diameter ≥ 10 mm, with a global accuracy of 98.2 % (95 % CI: 96–99.4).

Conclusion

Appendiceal diameter and left tubal thickening are the most discriminating CT criteria for differentiating acute PID from AA.

Key points

• Appendiceal diameter and marked left tubal thickening allow differentiating PID from AA.

• PID should be considered if appendiceal diameter is < 7 mm.

• Marked left tubal diameter indicates PID rather than AA when enlarged appendix.

• No pathological CT findings were identified in 5 % of PID patients.

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Abbreviations

AA:

Acute appendicitis

CART:

Classification and regression tree

CRP:

C-reactive protein

CT:

Computed tomography

ICD:

International classification of diseases

IQR:

Interquartile range

IUD:

Intrauterine device

PID:

Pelvic inflammatory disease

TOA:

Tubo-ovarian abscess

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, Lapeyronie Hospital, 371 Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, 34295, Montpellier, France

    Kim El Hentour, Ingrid Millet, Emmanuelle Pages-Bouic, Fernanda Curros-Doyon & Patrice Taourel

  2. Department of Medical Information and Statistics, UMR 5149 IMAG, CHU, Montpellier, France

    Nicolas Molinari

Authors
  1. Kim El Hentour
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  2. Ingrid Millet
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  3. Emmanuelle Pages-Bouic
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  4. Fernanda Curros-Doyon
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  5. Nicolas Molinari
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  6. Patrice Taourel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ingrid Millet.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Patrice Taourel.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Funding

The authors state that this work has not received any funding.

Statistics and biometry

Dr Molinari Nicolas kindly provided statistical advice for this manuscript.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.

Methodology

• retrospective

• diagnostic study

• performed at one institution

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Cite this article

El Hentour, K., Millet, I., Pages-Bouic, E. et al. How to differentiate acute pelvic inflammatory disease from acute appendicitis ? A decision tree based on CT findings. Eur Radiol 28, 673–682 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-5032-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-5032-4

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