Virtual colonoscopy in stenosing colorectal cancer

International Surgery

Background and Aims: Stenotic colorectal carcinoma impending obstruction (SCRCIO) is a frequently encountered situation complicating 10% to 19% of colorectal cancers. This group of patients cannot undergo complete colonoscopic assessment. The aim of this study is to examine the accuracy of Computed Tomographic Colonography (CTC) as preoperative assessment of the colon of patients with SCRCIO, and to measure the effect on the surgical decision. Materials and methods: This was a prospective study, from September 2009 through December 2012, on a cohort of symptomatic adult patients with SCRCIO. Patients underwent CTC evaluation after failed conventional colonoscopy (CC), followed by a follow-up endoscopic examination 3-6 months after surgical treatment. Results: Twenty-nine patients with an average age of 55 were included in this study; the majority of stenotic masses were located in the sigmoid colon. Preoperative CTC matched the colonoscopy location of the stenotic masses (17 patient...

2015

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of computed tomography colonography (CTC) in the preoperative staging in patients with abdominal pain for occlusive colorectal cancer (CRC) and to compare the results of CTC with the surgical ones. PATIENTS AND METHODS 127 patients with abdominal pain, iron deficiency anemia and occlusive CRC underwent a CTC examination in prone position without intravenous contrast agent and in prone position after administration of intravenous contrast medium. All the patients underwent surgery after CTC. Two radiologists with different experience analyzed the images first independently and then by consensus. They evaluated the location of the lesion, the depth of the invasion of the colon-rectal wall (T stage), lymph node involvement (N stage) and the presence or absence of distant metastasis (M stage). CTC findings were correlated with surgical outcomes. RESULTS The overall accuracy values for tumour localization according t...

Abdominal Imaging, 2010

Aim To evaluate the role of CT colonography (CTC) in the follow-up of patients having received partial colectomy for colorectal cancer. Methods and materials CTC was performed in 72 subjects with history of partial colectomy for colorectal cancer. Colectomy had been performed in the right colon (n = 18), descending colon (n = 15), sigmoid colon (n = 21), and rectum (n = 18). Patients underwent CTC following incomplete conventional colonoscopy due to intolerance to endoscope insertion or luminal stenosis. In 70 cases pneumocolon was obtained through a rectal tube, and in 2 cases through a cutaneous anastomosis. CTC datasets were analyzed in combined 2D and 3D mode. All patients in whom CTC was suggestive for or raised the suspicion of disease recurrence underwent colonoscopy in sedation for confirmation of CTC findings. Results CTC detected 7 cases of anastomotic stenosis. In 6/7 patients the stenosis was located in the sigmoid colon and in 1/7 patients at the level of the ileo-colic junction in the transverse colon. Out of these cases, four were fibrotic and three were neoplastic stenoses. In none of these cases was the CT appearance of the stenoses specific for disease recurrence, and conventional colonoscopy together with biopsy was necessary in order to characterize such findings. However, sensitivity of CTC in detecting anastomotic stenosis was 100% (7/7). One colonic mass (5 cm largest diameter) was detected in one case at the level of the proximal transverse colon in a patient with left colectomy performed 2 years before. The study of the residual colon showed 3 polyps in three patients (8, 6, and 5 mm, respectively). All CT findings were confirmed and characterized by conventional colonoscopy. In all cases the residual colon was entirely visualized by CTC with a completion rate of 100%. Conclusions CTC is a feasible and minimally invasive method for full exploration of the colon after surgical resection allowing detection of cancer recurrence, metachronous disease, and distant metastases in one single study, and represents a valid alternative to conventional colonoscopy in this patient population.

European Journal of Radiology, 2012

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of the inclusion of computed tomographic colonography (CTC) involving faecal tagging and no laxatives on the computed tomography (CT) study routinely used in staging patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: CTC was performed on 25 patients who had a diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma, with pathological correlation. Researchers recorded the accuracy of the CTC for staging colorectal cancer, as well as any changes to the plans for surgery based on this exam. The patients' tolerance of the preparation required and the quality of the exams was also evaluated. Results: All exams were well-tolerated, and only one had unsatisfactory quality. CTC identified all the carcinomas and had an overall accuracy of 80%, 60.1% and 100% for the evaluation of tumour depth, lymph nodes and metastases respectively. CTC identified all polyps greater than 9 mm. Following CTC, changes to surgical plans were observed in 20.8% of the cases, all with incomplete optical colonoscopies. Conclusions: CTC proved useful for the pre-operative evaluation of patients with a diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma, affecting plans for surgery in a expressive number of patients with an incomplete colonoscopy.

Sohag Medical Journal, 2018

Background Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. As with other malignancies, screening and early detection is fundamental for successful management of colorectal cancer. Computed tomographic (CT) colonography is a noninvasive, rapidly evolving technique that has been shown in some studies to be comparable with conventional colonoscopy for the screening of colorectal cancer. CT colonography is being increasingly applied as a routine screening method for the detection of colorectal cancer in last few years as it is more convenient and less invasive than colonoscopy. In addition, it has an upper hand in diagnosis of small lesions less than 10mm (Choi, et al., 2011). Patients and methods:This prospective double blind comparative study will be conducted on 23 patients with colorectal symptoms and signs as altered bowel habits, bleeding per rectum, abdominal pain, weight loss, unexplained fatigue and loss of appetite.An informed written consent was obtained from all patients and approval of the faculty research ethics committee was obtained. Results: Total of 108 colonic lesions were analyzed in 23 patient; Seven colonic masses were diagnosed in 6 patients, 41 polyps in 8 patients and 60 diverticulae in 5 patients. Six patients had incomplete colonoscopy. Of them, 2 patients had a large polypoidal mass that prevents further colonoscopic introduction. Using CT colonography we were able to evaluate those polypoidal masses. Moreover, we could complete the examination and evaluation of the proximal colon and one of them had a polypoidal sigmoid colon mass and showed another proximal annular mass. Four patients presented with colonic obstruction and good preparation to the proximal parts of the colon failed, So completing the colonoscopy was difficult. After undergoing CT colonography, 2 patients were normal and 2 patients had annular masses causing proximal obstruction and marked distension. ConclusionCT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy) is a reliable tool and more sensitive for detecting colonic mass lesions larger than 5 mm, polyps larger than 5 mm, strictures and diverticulosis. CTC is of value in evaluating the colonic segment lying proximal to colonic cancers including those with occlusive growths or strictures. Contrast-enhanced CTC is also useful in identifying extra-colonic findings.Virtual Colonoscopy is a good screening tools for malignant or premalignant lesions in patients presented with colorectal symptoms.

JAMA, 2004

Conventional colonoscopy is the best available method for detection of colorectal cancer; however, it is invasive and not without risk. Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), also known as virtual colonoscopy, has been reported to be reasonably accurate in the diagnosis of colorectal neoplasia in studies performed at expert centers. To assess the accuracy of CTC in a large number of participants across multiple centers. A nonrandomized, evaluator-blinded, noninferiority study design of 615 participants aged 50 years or older who were referred for routine, clinically indicated colonoscopy in 9 major hospital centers between April 17, 2000, and October 3, 2001. The CTC was performed by using multislice scanners immediately before standard colonoscopy; findings at colonoscopy were reported before and after segmental unblinding to the CTC results. The sensitivity and specificity of CTC and conventional colonoscopy in detecting participants with lesions sized at least 6 mm. Secondary o...

Polish journal of radiology / Polish Medical Society of Radiology, 2014

Virtual colonoscopy (VC) enables three-dimensional view of walls and internal lumen of the colon as a result of reconstruction of multislice CT images. The role of VC in diagnosis of the colon abnormalities systematically increases, and in many medical centers all over the world is carried out as a screening test of patients with high risk of colorectal cancer. We analyzed results of virtual colonoscopy of 360 patients with clinical suspicion of colorectal cancer. Sensitivity and specificity of CT colonoscopy for detection of colon cancers and polyps were assessed. Results of our research have shown high diagnostic efficiency of CT colonoscopy in detection of focal lesions in large intestine of 10 mm or more diameter. Sensitivity was 85.7%, specificity 89.2%. Virtual colonoscopy is noninvasive and well tolerated by patients imaging method, which permits for early detection of the large intestine lesions with specificity and sensitivity similar to classical colonoscopy in screening e...

Radiology, 2002

PURPOSE: To evaluate computed tomographic (CT) colonography in patients with clinical suspicion of colorectal cancer and in whom colonoscopy was incomplete. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After incomplete colonoscopy, 34 patients underwent CT colonography before and after intravenous injection of iodinated contrast agent, in supine and prone positions. Twenty patients with no evidence of colon cancer after complete colonoscopy were included as a control group. Sensitivity and specificity of CT colonography were determined for detection of cancers, polyps, and metastases to liver. Volume 223 ⅐ Number 3 CT Colonography after Incomplete Colonoscopy ⅐ 617 * FP/FN ϭ number of false-positive diagnoses/number of false-negative diagnoses. Volume 223 ⅐ Number 3 CT Colonography after Incomplete Colonoscopy ⅐ 619

Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR, 2015

Preoperative evaluation in patients with colorectal carcinoma is essential for a correct therapeutic plan. Conventional colonoscopy has certain limitations including its inability to detect synchronous lesions in case of distal obstructive mass and inaccurate tumour localization. CT colonography combines cross sectional imaging with virtual colonoscopic images and offers a comprehensive preoperative evaluation in patients with colorectal carcinoma including detection of synchronous lesions with accurate segmental localization and loco regional staging. The objective was to determine the role of CT colonography in various colonic lesions and to correlate the findings with conventional colonoscopy and histopathological findings. This prospective study included 50 patients with clinical symptoms suspicious of colonic pathology. All the patients underwent both CT colonography and conventional colonoscopy on the same day. CT colonography was performed in supine and prone position. Consid...

World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2014

Core tip: Computed tomography colonography (CTC) can be employed as a "one-stop-shop" examination for preoperative assessment in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). CTC is well accepted and tolerated by patients and also accurate in the detection of significant colorectal lesions. In patients with CRC, CTC defines the segmental location of the tumor and the presence of synchronous lesions or lack thereof and provides fairly accurate locoregional staging. Sali L, Falchini M, Taddei A, Mascalchi M. Role of preoperative CT colonography in patients with colorectal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20(14): 3795-3803 Available from: URL: