Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Appendicitis diagnostic scoring
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The Alvarado score is the most widely used scoring based system in making a diagnosis of appendicitis.
Diagnostic Scoring
Diagnostic Scoring
Alvarado Score
A number of clinical and laboratory based scoring systems have been devised to assist the diagnosis of appendicitis. The most widely used is the Alvarado score:[1][2]
| Migratory right iliac fossa pain | 1 point |
| Anorexia | 1 point |
| Nausea and vomiting | 1 point |
| Right iliac fossa tenderness | 2 points |
| Rebound tenderness | 1 point |
| Fever | 1 point |
| Leukocytosis | 2 points |
| Shift to left (segmented neutrophils) | 1 point |
| Total score | 10 points |
|---|
A score of 7 or more is strongly predictive of acute appendicitis.
In patients with an equivocal score of 5-6, CT scan further reduces the rate of negative appendectomy.
References
References
- ↑ Özsoy Z, YenidoÄŸan E (2017). “Evaluation of the Alvarado scoring system in the management of acute appendicitis”. Turk J Surg. 33 (3): 200–204. doi:10.5152/turkjsurg.2017.3539. PMC 5602313. PMID 28944334.
- ↑ Ohmann C, Yang Q, Franke C (1995). “Diagnostic scores for acute appendicitis. Abdominal Pain Study Group”. Eur J Surg. 161 (4): 273–81. PMID 7612771.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]