Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Appendicitis in a Community Hospital Emergency Department has a High Rate of Nondiagnostic Studies

The utility of U/S to diagnose appendicitis at a community hospital is limited by a high rate of nondiagnostic studies. Some patients with diagnostic U/S even had follow-up CT imaging. To minimize radiation exposure in children, improvements should be made in the performance and acceptance of U/S as the primary modality of abdominal pain imaging at community hospitals.