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Evidence Review and Status Update on Computed Tomography Colonography

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Abstract

Computed tomographic (CT) colonography is being implemented increasingly in the USA and Europe, and in many centers it has become the radiological technique of choice for imaging the whole colorectum. Although high diagnostic accuracy has been demonstrated in both screening and symptomatic populations, controversy persists regarding implementation, who should interpret the examination, and its cost effectiveness, particularly in the context of primary colorectal cancer screening. Published research in recent years has demonstrated efficacy in a wide range of patient groups, striking technical improvements, and high levels of patient acceptability. New developments continue in the fields of computer aided detection, digital cleansing, and integration into positron emission tomography. The purpose of this review is to bring the reader up-to-date with the latest developments in CT colonography, in particular, those of the last year.

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Acknowledgments

This work was undertaken at UCLH/UCL who received a proportion of funding from the Department of Health’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centres funding scheme. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Health.

Disclosure

Steve Halligan and Stuart A. Taylor have worked as research consultants for Medicisight PLC; Darren Boone reported no potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

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Correspondence to Stuart A. Taylor.

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Boone, D., Halligan, S. & Taylor, S.A. Evidence Review and Status Update on Computed Tomography Colonography. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 13, 486–494 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-011-0217-5

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