Virtual colonoscopy and fibrocolonoscopy in colorectal cancer patients

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of 1695 patients, 719 males and 976 females, with colorectal diseases, hospitalized in the First Clinic of Surgery, St. Marina University Hospital of Varna during the period between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 was carried out. They were examined by means of virtual colonoscopy (VCS) and fibrocolonoscopy (FCS). The number of patients was greatest in 2016 (310) and lowest in 2021 ( 55). The number and relative share of the patients with identified T-stage of colorectal cancer (CRC) were 2.33 times greater with VCS examination than with FCS one. Colorectal cancer was diagnosed alone by using VCS in a total of 154 patients, 81 males and 73 females, while by using FCS it was done in a total of 66 patients, 32 males and 34 females. With VCS, synchronous colorectal disease, such as CRC and/or colorectal polyps, were diagnosed in a total of 88 patients, 91 men and 73 women. The average colon length inspected during FCS was 67.218 cm (between 58.7 cm and 78.9 cm). A total of 88 CRCs omitted with FCS (at an average inspected colon length of 57.143 сm) were identified with VCS. Benign extracolic diseases were diagnosed by using VCS in 377 (in 22.24%) but malignant extracolic synchronous ones were revealed in 104 of the patients (in 6.14%). A popularization of VCS in CRC patients in Bulgarian coloproctological practice is needed.