[Review of diagnostic scoring systems in acute appendicitis].

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the leading of emergency surgeries performed at general surgery departments. Prevalence of acute appendicitis is estimated at 6-8% of population. Clinical presentation is very diverse and despite common occurence it remains a diagnostic challenge. Acute appendicitis diagnostics consist of clinical examination, laboratory tests, diagnostic scoring systems (DSS), computer programs as physician aids and imaging examination. About 30-45% patients suspected of acute appendicitis have atypical clinical presentation. Even nowadays incorrect preoperative diagnoses are quite common and result in performing negative appendectomies (NA) in average 10-30% patients while in childbearing women even to 45%. In order to improve diagnostics accuracy of AA diagnostic scoring system can be used. Scoring systems link clinical examination and labarotory tests by certain quantification of symptoms, signs and laboratory parameters. This article is a review of a few diagnostic scoring systems. Scoring systems were compared with special attention payed to their similarity and differences. Scoring systems have many advantages, they are non-invasive, cheap and don't require any special equipment to be employed. Scoring systems are very helpful surgical tool to make a diagnosis of AA or exclude it.