COMPARISION OF USG AND CT IN THE EVALUATION OF INGUINAL HERNIA

Abstract

Background: Inguinal hernia happens when an inguinal canal weakness allows abdominal contents, such as fat or bowel loops, to protrude. This condition accounts for up to 75% of all abdominal wall hernias, with a lifetime risk of approximately 27% in men and 3% in women. USG is the better modality for detecting inguinal hernia while CT is imperative for the detecting cross sectional images. Although ultrasound is commonly used, CT often provides greater sensitivity

Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound in the evaluation of Inguinal hernia in order to determine the more effective imaging method for each group.

Methodology: This cross-sectional analytical study was carried out over three months in the Department of Radiology, DHQ Hospital Rajan Pur. A total of 73 patients with suspected inguinal hernia, including both direct and indirect hernial patients underwent evaluation with ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT to assess the diagnostic accuracy of each modality.

Results: A total of 73 patients were included, of which 31.5% were with direct hernia and 68.5% with indirect. Clinical symptoms showed no clinical difference between direct and indirect hernial groups (p>0.05). Ultrasound detected increased echogenicity in 80.8% patients. In comparison, CT showed higher detection: wedge-shaped hypodensity 74%, Overall, CT showed superior diagnostic accuracy, especially in hernial patients.

Conclusion: CT scan provides excellent diagnostic accuracy for inguinal hernia in both direct and indirect hernia patients, making it the preferred modality for definitive diagnosis. Ultrasound, while highly specific, shows lower sensitivity, particularly in diabetic patients, and is better suited as an initial screening tool.