Early experiences with computed axial tomography colonography

Background: Computed axial tomography (CT) colonography is the latest radiologic technique to be used to image the large bowel. We studied its role as a diagnostic tool in colorectal practice. Methods: One hundred and three patients suspected of having colorectal pathology underwent CT colonography. Results: CT colonography suggested a diagnosis of colonic carcinoma in 18 patients, and 17 of these underwent surgery. A colorectal neoplasm was not found in only 1 patient who had extrinsic colonic compression by an ovarian cyst. Twenty-one patients had suspected colonic polyps on scanning. Subsequent endoscopy in 19 of these patients confirmed the presence of polyps in only 10. CT colonography also revealed valuable extracolonic pathology: 8 occult noncolonic neoplasms and 163 other incidental findings. Conclusions: CT colonography has good patient compliance and is a useful diagnostic modality in detecting colorectal neoplasms. Its main advantage over other such investigative tools is its ability to detect extracolonic pathology. (C) 2004 Excerpta Medica, Inc. All rights reserved.