The specificity and sensitivity of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute right lower quadrant pain in women of child bearing age.

OBJECTIVE To assess the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in differentiating causes of acute right lower quadrant pain in women of child-bearing age by taking surgical outcome as the gold standard. METHODS The descriptive analytical study was conducted at PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from July to December 2008, and comprised female patients of child-bearing age who presented with acute right lower quadrant pain and underwent surgery after ultrasonography. SPSS 10 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Of the 75 patients, 54(72%) patients were symptomatically and sonographically positive to have either acutely inflamed non-compressible appendix or focal fluid collection in right lower quadrant with normal pelvic viscera. Sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 84% were calculated. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound had a sensitivity and specificity justifying its usage as a good diagnostic tool in emergency situations to avoid undue surgical interventions.