Background and aims: This was a prospective blinded study to compare computed tomography (CT) colonography, performed with multidetector arrays CT scan (MDCT), with conventional colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal neoplasia. Methods: Fifty patients were examined by MDCT after standard bowel preparation and rectal air insufflation in the supine and prone positions. Data sets were examined by one radiologist and one gastroenterologist blinded to the patient's history and colonoscopy results. Patients subsequently underwent colonoscopy on the same day, which served as the gold standard. Results: Nine of 11 lesions >10 mm (82%), 5/15 lesions of 6-9 mm (33%), and 1/42 polyps <5 mm (3%) were detected by MDCT colonography. One false positive result for a structure larger than 10 mm was described. Nineteen of 21 patients who had no lesions during conventional colonoscopy were considered free of lesions by MDCT colonography, yielding a per patient specificity of 90%. Conclusion: MDCT colonography provides good data quality and has good sensitivity and specificity for the detection of colonic lesions of 10 mm or more.

The aim of this study was to compare 2D and 3D CT imaging in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of complex benign larynges-tracheal airway stenoses with rigid endoscopy, considered as the gold standard. Six patients (aged 5-72 years) with a total of nine complex laryngo-tracheal stenoses underwent non-contrast helical CT scans (slice thickness 3 mm, pitch 1.3, reconstruction interval 1.5 mm) before and after surgical resection. With prototype software, virtual endoscopy (VE) post-processing algorithms were applied to the imaging data sets. The VE and multiplanar 2D findings were compared with rigid endoscopy, considered as standard of reference. All nine stenoses were correctly identified on 3D images and their anatomical locations correctly assessed on 2D reconstructions. Artifacts were met when patients were unable to suspend their breath, leading to one false-positive result. Two-dimensional images and 3D VE of tracheal stenoses proved to be efficient and complementary to the rigid endoscopy, permitting a reliable endoluminal 3D view and evaluation of the surrounding anatomical structures. Limitations of this technique relate to the maximal spatial resolution of 1.5 mm, the lack of color, and the inability to assess the mucosa. Virtual endoscopy is for complex laryngo-tracheal stenoses an excellent complement for rigid endoscopy, remaining the method of reference, and may be indicated with complicated pathological structures.