Objective: Diagnosing pediatric appendicitis is difficult because clinical findings are nonspecific. Improved accuracy can be obtained with ultrasound (US), CT, or MRI, despite considerable variation in their use at different institutions. This article reviews the evidence for best practices in imaging pediatric appendicitis.
Conclusion: When each modality is optimally used, a stepwise imaging approach that begins with graded compression US and proceeds to CT or MRI in select cases is currently best practice.
Keywords: CT; MRI; appendicitis; pediatric; ultrasound.