ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICI-TIS

Objective. To determine typical ultrasonographic features of patients with different morphological forms of acute appendicitis. Material. The results of ultrasonographic examination used in the process of diagnosing acute appendicitis of 73 patients were analyzed. 11 patients were observed with acute catarrhal appendicitis (15.1 ± 4.19%), with flegmonous - 53 persons (72.6 ± 5.2%). 4 (5.5 ± 2.7%) and 5 (6.8 ± 2.96%) patients were noted with gangrenous and gangrenous-perforative appendicitis, respectively. Results. The ultrasonographic features of acute ap-pendicitis occurred in more than half of patients and were as follows: visualization of the appendix in the form of prolonged echo-negative formation and its condensed wall. In acute phlegmonous appendicitis, the appendix diameter was usually larger than 0.8 mm. Its wall was condensed, due to infiltration of the mucous and muscle membranes. The draining of wall layers was noted alongside with the appearance of destructive changes in the appendix. At the same time, appendix cavity was either absent, or acquired a slit-shaped form. 36 patients (49.3 ± 5.85%) were marked with rickety appendix looking like a "target" in the cross-section. 23,3 ± 4,95% of appendix observations showed one or more fossilized feces. Ultrasonographic visualization in the right ileac tissue areas which formed a loose infiltrate (30.1 ± 5.37%), tiflite (50.7 ± 5.85), and limited liquid accumulation (38.4 ± 5.69) was usually typical for destructive forms of acute appendicitis. Conclusions. Typical ultrasonographic features of ca-tarrhal appendicitis consist of heterogeneous gipoehegenic content in its cavity, lack of appendix elasticity and absence of free fluid in the periapendicular zone; acute phlegmonous appendicitis is characterized by the appendix diameter increase, its rigidity, free fluid in the abdominal cavity and the prevalence of blood flow to the appendix; destructive appendicitis is marked by loose infiltrate, tiflite and limited fluid accumulation in the right ileac tissue.