Is CT-Colonoscopy A Valuable Tool To Detect Colorectal Cancer?

Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Also Included In: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 13 Oct 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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CTC (virtual colonoscopy) is a thin slice CT scan of the abdomen after adequate bowel preparation and colon insufflation in which data are reconstructed providing axial, multiplanar, and endoluminal views, in order to visualize internal colonic wall. Several studies have shown that CTC is a valuable tool to evaluate proximal colon after incomplete colonoscopy, and American Gastroenterologists Association (AGA) recognized that CTC is indicated for adults with failed colonoscopy. However the role of CTC after incomplete colonoscopy in a population-based screening context should be investigated deeper.

A research article published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team led by Dr. Sali and his colleagues in the University of Florence reported the results of CTC systematically performed in subjects with positive FOBT and incomplete colonoscopy in the context of a population-based screening programme.

From April 2006 to April 2007 43,290 individuals who adhered to the regional screening programme for the prevention of colorectal cancer underwent FOBT test, which was positive in 4.3% of the subjects. 77.7% of these subjects underwent colonoscopy. 7.2% of the colonoscopies were incomplete and 42 of these subjects underwent CTC. In these subjects CTC correctly identified 2 colonic masses and 20 polyps.

In conclusion, the data showed that in the context of a screening program with FOBT CT colonography is accurate for the detection of colonic masses or polyps equal or greater than 10 mm and should replace double contrast barium enema (DCBE) for evaluation of the non visualized part of the colon after incomplete colonoscopy.

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Reference: Sali L, Falchini M, Bonanomi AG, Castiglione G, Ciatto S, Mantellini P, Mungai F, Menchi I, Villari N, Mascalchi M. CT colonography after incomplete colonoscopy in subjects with positive faecal occult blood test. World J Gastroenterol 2008;14(28): 4499-4504 http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/14/4499.asp

Correspondence to: Dr. Lapo Sali, Radiodiagnostic Section, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 85, Florence 50134, Italy.

About World Journal of Gastroenterology

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

About The WJG Press

The WJG Press mainly publishes World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Source: Lai-Fu Li
World Journal of Gastroenterology

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