Accuracy of Ultrasound and Computed Tomography in Diagnosing Acute Cholecystitis Patients in a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia

Background Acute cholecystitis (AC) is a gallbladder inflammatory disease often associated with gallbladder stones. It accounts for up to 5% of emergency department visits. The majority of patients present with pain in the right upper quadrant, Murphy’s sign, and fever. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has been noted to have a significant prevalence of AC. According to the 2018 Tokyo Guidelines, imaging is an essential element, combined with local and systemic evidence of inflammation, for a confirmed diagnosis of AC. The definitive therapy is conducted surgically by cholecystectomy either urgently or electively. However, there are insufficient studies that focus on the accuracy of imaging in diagnosing AC patients in Saudi Arabia. Objective The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of ultrasound (US) versus computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing AC patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods and material A retrospective record review was conducted at KAUH during the period of June to July 2022. The study included 192 patients diagnosed with AC in the emergency department or outpatient department by US or CT or both and confirmed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy and histopathology between 2016 and 2022. Results The most common modality used was US (79.7%), followed by both US and contrast CT (10.9%). For CT, sensitivity was 81.3%, specificity was 62.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 59.1%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 83.3%. For US, sensitivity was 37.9%, specificity was 81.7%, PPV was 50%, and NPV was 73.1%. A significant relationship was observed between both genders and high use of US (P = 0.0001). Conclusion We found that CT is more sensitive than US, while US is more specific in diagnosing AC.