© 2004 BMJ Publishing Group & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
CASE REPORT
Appendicitis masquerading as malignancy
1 Department of Paediatric Surgery, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and The University of Liverpool, UK
2 Department of Paediatric Radiology, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and The University of Liverpool, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Mr E C Jesudason
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Eaton Road, Liverpool L12 2AP, UK; e.jesudason{at}liv.ac.uk
Accepted 31 August 2003
Keywords: appendicitis; counselling; pelvic tumour
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Childhood malignancy is a challenging and emotive area of clinical practice. Radiological investigations such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may reinforce the suspicion of malignancy and have a profound impact on parental counselling and treatment.
This report highlights recent cases of complex appendicitis where clinical and detailed radiological assessment initially indicated pelvic malignancy.
A post-menarchal 13 year old female presented with weight loss, a two week history of diarrhoea, and a one week history of dysuria. Her brother had been treated for a testicular teratoma. Ultrasound scan had shown a 14 cm pelvic mass and left hydronephrosis.
On assessment by paediatric oncologists, she was apyrexial, wasted, and had a pelvic mass. Provisional diagnosis of an ovarian tumour was made.
Investigations showed leucocytosis (13x109) with neutrophilia, normal serum 
-fetoprotein (AFP) and ß-HCG, and sterile pyuria. MRI showed a complex pelvic mass, suggestive of a
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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Modgil, G, Cooke, D I, Newbury, L
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