Suspected Appendicitis in the Pregnant Patient

Appendicitis is the most common nonobstetric cause of abdominal pain in pregnancy. Pregnant patients may present with an atypical examination, thereby challenging clinicians. National specialty organizations recommend that nonionizing imaging options be pursued to aid in early diagnosis. Multiple studies suggest that magnetic resonance imaging technology is a safe and accurate alternative to ionizing imaging such as X-ray or computerized tomography imaging. A standard protocol that incorporates magnetic resonance imaging technology in the evaluation of the pregnant patient is proposed.