Accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of acute generalized peritonitis in children: A two-year review

Abstract

In atypical presentations, ultrasonography may be helpful to confirm the diagnosis of acute generalized peritonitis. Our study aimed to evaluate its accuracy at Albert Royer National Children’s Hospital Centre of Dakar, in Senegal. We conducted a two-year (2018-2020) retrospective cross-sectional study, with an analytical aspect. Fifty-one patients were included in our study. In 56.7% of cases, a radiologist realized the ultrasonography. The sensibility and specificity of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of acute generalized peritonitis were 70 and 75% respectively. Accuracy of diagnosis was reduced proportionally to the operator's experience, ranging from 82% for radiologists, 66% for interns in radiology to 46% for trainees in radiology (p=0,0145). In our environment, the accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of acute generalized peritonitis is poor, and largely influenced by the operator's experience, which relegates this investigation to the second line, behind clinical suspicion.