Kharbanda AB, et al. - Researchers aimed at comparing the cost of diagnosing and treating suspected appendicitis across a multi-center network of children's hospitals. Findings demonstrated the utility of ultrasound (US) as the primary imaging modality for appendicitis. Compared to sites that primarily used computed tomography (CT), sites that preferentially utilized US had lower costs per case. Practice patterns influenced the imaging rates across sites, resulting in a significant cost consequence without higher rates for negative appendectomies or missed appendicitis cases.