Background: Non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound studies in pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis are often non-diagnostic. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine if combining these non-diagnostic imaging results with white blood cell (WBC) cutoffs improves their negative predictive values (NPVs).
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted including patients ≤18 years old with suspected appendicitis who had MRI performed with or without a preceding ultrasound study in a pediatric emergency department.