Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Appendicitis in Pregnancy

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen in pregnancy, complicating approximately 1 per 1500 pregnancies [1]. Clinical diagnosis of appendicitis in pregnant women is confounded by several factors found in a normal pregnancy. Such confounding factors include nonspecific leucocytos is, displacement of abdominal and pelvic structures from their normal locations by the gravid uterus, a difficult abdominal examination, and nonspecific nausea and vomiting [2, 3].Guarding in the setting of peritonitis may not occur because of the loss of elasticity in the abdominal wall musculature [4].