About Dataset

This repository holds the data from a cohort of pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis admitted with abdominal pain to Children’s Hospital St. Hedwig in Regensburg, Germany, between 2016 and 2021. Each patient has (potentially multiple) ultrasound (US) images, aka views, tabular data comprising laboratory, physical examination, scoring results and ultrasonographic findings extracted manually by the experts, and three target variables, namely, diagnosis, management and severity.

This dataset was acquired in a retrospective study from a cohort of pediatric patients admitted with abdominal pain to Children’s Hospital St. Hedwig in Regensburg, Germany. Multiple abdominal B-mode ultrasound images were acquired for most patients, with the number of views varying from 1 to 15. The images depict various regions of interest, such as the abdomen’s right lower quadrant, appendix, intestines, lymph nodes and reproductive organs. Alongside multiple US images for each subject, the dataset includes information encompassing laboratory tests, physical examination results, clinical scores, such as Alvarado and pediatric appendicitis scores, and expert-produced ultrasonographic findings. Lastly, the subjects were labeled w.r.t. three target variables: diagnosis (appendicitis vs. no appendicitis), management (surgical vs. conservative) and severity (complicated vs. uncomplicated or no appendicitis). The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Regensburg (no. 18-1063-101, 18-1063_1-101 and 18-1063_2-101) and was performed following applicable guidelines and regulations.

Class Labels

Diagnosis: [appendicitis, no appendicitis],
Severity: [complicated, uncomplicated],
Management: [conservative, primary surgical, secondary surgical, simultaneous appendectomy]

Variable Name -> Role -> Type -> Demographic -> Description
RBC_Count -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> The number of erythrocytes in a unit volume of blood
Hemoglobin -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> Hemoglobin level; a red protein in the red blood cells that contains iron and is responsible for transporting oxygen
RDW -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> A blood test that measures the differences in the volume and size of the erythrocytes
Thrombocyte_Count -> Feature -> Integer -> -> The number of platelets in a unit volume of blood
Ketones_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Presence of ketone bodies in urine, e.g. in case of anorexia
RBC_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Blood in urine
WBC_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Leucocytes in urine, e.g., in case of infection
CRP -> Feature -> Integer -> -> Protein produced by the liver, elevated in case of inflammation, infection, or injury
Dysuria -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Pain or other difficulty during urination
Stool -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Characteristics of bowel movements
Peritonitis -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Spasm of abdominal wall muscles detected on palpation, usually a result of inflammation
Psoas_Sign -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Abdominal pain produced by extension of the hip
Ipsilateral_Rebound_Tenderness -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> A state in which pain of the ipsilateral side is felt on the release of pressure over the abdomen
US_Performed -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> If an abdominal ultrasonography was performed or not
US_Number -> Other -> Integer -> ->
Free_Fluids -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Free fluids inside the abdomen
Appendix_Wall_Layers -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Distribution and characteristics of appendix layers, e.g., irregular in case of an increasing inflammation
Target_Sign -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Axial image of appendix with a fluid-filled center surrounded by echogenic mucosa and submucosa and hypoechoic muscularis
Appendicolith -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Presence of fecalith in the appendix, e.g. acoustic shadow
Perfusion -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Blood flow to the appendix wall
Perforation -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Signs of appendix perforation in US
Surrounding_Tissue_Reaction -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Inflammation signs in tissue (i.a. in omentum/fat tissue) surrounding appendix
Appendicular_Abscess -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Appendiceal mass
Abscess_Location -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Location of the abcess intraperitoneal
Pathological_Lymph_Nodes -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Enlarged and inflamed intra-abdominal lymph nodes
Variable Name -> Role -> Type -> Demographic -> Description -> Units
Lymph_Nodes_Location -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> The location of pathological lymph nodes in the abdomen
Bowel_Wall_Thickening -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Edema of the intestinal wall, > 2-3 mm for small bowel wall thickening
Conglomerate_of_Bowel_Loops -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Small intestine conglomerate as sign of intraperitoneal inflammation
Ileus -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Sonographic signs of paralytic ileus (e.g., dilated intestinal loops, pendulum peristalsis or absence of peristalsis)
Coprostasis -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Fecal impaction in the colon
Meteorism -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Accumulation of gas in the intestine
Enteritis -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Sonographic features of gastroenteritis, e.g. wall thickening of ileum, increased peristalsis
Gynecological_Findings -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Gynaecological abnormalities, e.g. cysts, ovarial torsion
RBC_Count -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> The number of erythrocytes in a unit volume of blood
Hemoglobin -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> Hemoglobin level; a red protein in the red blood cells that contains iron and is responsible for transporting oxygen
RDW -> Feature -> Continuous -> -> A blood test that measures the differences in the volume and size of the erythrocytes
Thrombocyte_Count -> Feature -> Integer -> -> The number of platelets in a unit volume of blood
Ketones_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Presence of ketone bodies in urine, e.g. in case of anorexia
RBC_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Blood in urine
WBC_in_Urine -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Leucocytes in urine, e.g., in case of infection
CRP -> Feature -> Integer -> -> Protein produced by the liver, elevated in case of inflammation, infection, or injury
Dysuria -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Pain or other difficulty during urination
Stool -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Characteristics of bowel movements
Peritonitis -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Spasm of abdominal wall muscles detected on palpation, usually a result of inflammation
Psoas_Sign -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Abdominal pain produced by extension of the hip
Ipsilateral_Rebound_Tenderness -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> A state in which pain of the ipsilateral side is felt on the release of pressure over the abdomen
US_Performed -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> If an abdominal ultrasonography was performed or not
US_Number -> Other -> Integer -> ->
Free_Fluids -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Free fluids inside the abdomen
Appendix_Wall_Layers -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Distribution and characteristics of appendix layers, e.g., irregular in case of an increasing inflammation
Target_Sign -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Axial image of appendix with a fluid-filled center surrounded by echogenic mucosa and submucosa and hypoechoic muscularis
Appendicolith -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Presence of fecalith in the appendix, e.g. acoustic shadow
Perfusion -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Blood flow to the appendix wall
Perforation -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Signs of appendix perforation in US
Surrounding_Tissue_Reaction -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Inflammation signs in tissue (i.a. in omentum/fat tissue) surrounding appendix
Appendicular_Abscess -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Appendiceal mass
Abscess_Location -> Feature -> Categorical -> -> Location of the abcess intraperitoneal
Pathological_Lymph_Nodes -> Feature -> Binary -> -> Enlarged and inflamed intra-abdominal lymph nodes