Utility of computed tomographic colonography in surveillance for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome

Fam Cancer. 2007;6(1):135-40. doi: 10.1007/s10689-007-9116-1.

Abstract

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is suggested to be an alternative to colonoscopy as a surveillance tool in subjects with a high risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). To evaluate the utility of CTC we successively examined 78 subjects, all with a DNA mismatch repair gene mutation, by CTC and colonoscopy. We detected altogether 37 polyps or tumors in 28 subjects (prevalence 35.9%), adenomas in 13 subjects (16.7%), CRC in two (2.6%), and hyperplastic polyps in 13 (16.7%). A great majority of the polyps were diminutive. The per-patient sensitivity for detecting all lesions with CTC was 0.25 and 0.29 by two radiologists and the specificities 0.82 and 0.76. For lesions of 10 mm or larger the sensitivities were 0.6 and 1.0 and the specificities 0.96 by each examiner. Each diagnosed the two cancers correctly. We concluded that CTC has an acceptable accuracy for large lesions in the colon but the detection rate for small polyps is not comparable to that in colonoscopy. Therefore CTC remains a second choice in surveillance for use when colonoscopy for some reason is incomplete or unsuitable.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenomatous Polyps / diagnosis
  • Adenomatous Polyps / diagnostic imaging
  • Adenomatous Polyps / surgery
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Colonic Polyps / diagnosis
  • Colonic Polyps / diagnostic imaging*
  • Colonic Polyps / surgery
  • Colonography, Computed Tomographic*
  • Colonoscopy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / diagnosis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / epidemiology
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Finland / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Population Surveillance / methods
  • Rectal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Rectal Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sensitivity and Specificity