The impact of a clinical guideline on imaging children with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a clinical pathway on the volume of imaging studies performed in children with suspected clinical diagnosis of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. The pathway suggested referral to surgeons for clinical evaluation for palpation of the olive prior to ordering imaging studies. Only those children in whom the olive could not be palpated would be referred for imaging, and it was anticipated that imaging volume would be reduced following guideline implementation.