Evaluation of normal appendix in adult Jordanians using non-enhanced dual source 64-slice MDCT

Objective: to evaluate the frequency of visualization and size measurements of normal appendix in jordanian adultsusing non-enhanced dual source 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (mdct). materials and methods: a retrospective review of 240 consecutive adult patients (150 men and 90 women,age range 18-86 years,mean age = 49.8) who underwent a non-enhanced abdominal ct for possible renal stone disease was conducted. a senior radiologist interpreted the images in the axial,coronal,and sagittal planes. the visualization,location,contents,maximum outer diameter and two wall thickness of visualized appendices were recorded. results: the appendix was visualized in 95% of patients. intraluminal contents were identified in 70.6% of patients. the greatest outer diameter of the appendix ranged between 4 and 11.4 mm (mean= 6.2 mm),and the two wall thickness ranged between 1.8 and 7 mm (mean = 5.4 mm). the prevalence of appendicitis in this study was 7.8%. conclusions: non enhanced mdct is extremely useful in identification of normal appendix. the conspicuity and detection rate of normal appendix were significantly improved when additional multiplanar reformation images,particularly coronal images,were used. the wide variation in the outer diameter of normal appendix on ct may lead to significant overlap between normal and abnormal appendix,therefore,to reduce the false positive and false negative diagnoses of acute appendicitis other secondary signs should be recruited. © 2015 dar publishers / the university of jordan. all rights reserved.