FT offers the patient a well-tolerated preparation and improves specificity, with improved differentiation of polyps from residual stool.

In the present study, CT colonography after fecal tagging with 50 mL of barium combined with a reduced cathartic cleansing was feasible.

No abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate dietary fecal tagging (FT) as a cleansing method prior to CT colonography (CTC) in patients with incomplete conventional colonoscopy (CC). After written informed consent was obtained, 24 patients had standard colonoscopic preparation (ScCl), and 25 patients had FT as cleansing method. Segmental distention, fluid levels, fecal residues, tagged appearance of fluid levels, and residual stool were evaluated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to test for significant differences between FT and ScCl groups. Compared with ScCl, FT improved distention (p=0.001), reduced the amount of fluid (p=0.043), but suffered from residual stool (p=0.046). A clear correlation was found between distention and fluid. No differences were found in stool size between FT and ScCl. FT showed a good labeling of fecal residues, and acceptable labeling of fluid levels. Compared with ScCl, FT reduces fluid, favors distention, but suffers from fecal residues. The tagged nature of these residues, however, allows differentiation from polyps.

The aim of this study was to evaluate findings on CT colonography (CTC) in patients with diverticular disease. In a retrospective analysis of 160 consecutive patients, who underwent CTC and conventional colonoscopy (CC), patients with diverticular disease were retrieved. The CTC images were compared with CC and, if possible, with pathology. Findings on both 2D and 3D images are illustrated with emphasis on diagnostic problems and the possible solutions to overcome these problems. Several aspects of diverticulosis were detected: prediverticulosis (3%); global (55.6%); and focal wall thickening (4%) caused by thickened haustral folds, fibrosis, inflammation and adenocarcinoma; diverticula (52%); pseudopolypoid lesions caused by diverticular fecaliths (39%); inverted diverticula (1.2%); and mucosal prolapse (0.6%). Solutions to overcome pitfalls are described as abdominal windowing, content of the pseudopolypoid lesion, comparison of 2D and 3D images, prone-supine imaging and the aspect of the pericolic fat. In this series there were equivocal findings in case of mucosal prolapse (0.6%) and focal wall thickening (4%). Diverticulosis is a challenge for CTC to avoid false-positive diagnosis of polypoid and tumoral disease. Knowledge of possible false causes of polypoid disease and comparison of 2D and 3D images are necessary to avoid false-positive diagnosis. In case of equivocal findings additional conventional colonoscopy should be advised whenever a clinically significant lesion (> or = 1 cm) is suspected.