HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hoppe, H. Articles by Dinkel, H.-P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hoppe, H. Articles by Dinkel, H.-P. Social Bookmarking                      What's this? Hotlight (NEW!) What's Hotlight?

Virtual Colon Dissection with CT Colonography Compared with Axial Interpretation and Conventional Colonoscopy: Preliminary Results

¹ Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Inselspital, University of Berne, Freiburgstrasse 10, Berne 3010, Switzerland.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Inselspital, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to determine whether a new virtual colon dissection 3D visualization technique for CT colonography has a shorter analysis time and better sensitivity for detection of colonic polyps than interpretation of axial CT images.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS. CT colonography was performed in 22 patients using 4-MDCT followed by conventional colonoscopy on the same day. The CT colonography data sets were analyzed by virtual colon dissection, which virtually bisects and unfolds the colon along its longitudinal axis to inspect the inner colonic surface for polyps. The same CT data sets were independently evaluated using axial interpretation. All data sets were independently interpreted by two radiologists in a blinded manner.

RESULTS. Conventional colonoscopy revealed 31 colonic lesions in 20 patients. Twentytwo of the lesions were smaller than 10 mm; nine were 10 mm or larger. Two of the original 22 patients were excluded, one because of residual stool and fluid and the other because of an impassable stenosing rectal wall cancer. For virtual colon dissection, the per-lesion sensitivity was 42% for observer 1 and 68% for observer 2; for axial interpretation, the respective sensitivities were 48% and 61%. For polyps 10 mm or larger, the respective sensitivities were 67% and 89% for virtual colon dissection and 89% and 100% for axial interpretation. The average time for reconstruction and analysis of virtual colon dissection was 36.8 min versus 29.2 min for axial images. Virtual colon dissection was feasible in both the supine and the prone positions in 45.5% of colonic segments, in either the supine or the prone position in 24.5%, and in neither position in 30% of segments.

CONCLUSION. Although virtual colon dissection may facilitate detection of colonic polyps in isolated cases, its detection rate is not superior to axial interpretation, which is mainly attributable to failed rendering of insufficiently distended colonic segments or regions with residual feces. Virtual colon dissection is also the more time-consuming of the two procedures. With further improvement of path-finding and image segmentation, however, virtual colon dissection has the potential to be a useful interpretation tool for CT colonography.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Hock, R. Ouhadi, R. Materne, A.-S. Aouchria, I. Mancini, T. Broussaud, P. Magotteaux, and A. Nchimi Virtual Dissection CT Colonography: Evaluation of Learning Curves and Reading Times with and without Computer-aided Detection Radiology, September 1, 2008; 248(3): 860 - 868. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D. Johnson, J. G. Fletcher, R. L. MacCarty, J. N. Mandrekar, W. S. Harmsen, P. J. Limburg, and L. A. Wilson Effect of Slice Thickness and Primary 2D Versus 3D Virtual Dissection on Colorectal Lesion Detection at CT Colonography in 452 Asymptomatic Adults Am. J. Roentgenol., September 1, 2007; 189(3): 672 - 680. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Glick Will 3D Virtual Dissection Display Prove to Be the Display Format for Reviewing CT Colonography Examinations? Radiology, September 1, 2007; 244(3): 629 - 630. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H. Kim, J. M. Lee, H. W. Eun, M. W. Lee, J. K. Han, J. Y. Lee, and B. I. Choi Two- versus Three-dimensional Colon Evaluation with Recently Developed Virtual Dissection Software for CT Colonography Radiology, September 1, 2007; 244(3): 852 - 864. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Silva, C. V. Wellnitz, and A. K. Hara Three-dimensional Virtual Dissection at CT Colonography: Unraveling the Colon to Search for Lesions RadioGraphics, November 1, 2006; 26(6): 1669 - 1686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Yasumoto, T. Murakami, H. Yamamoto, M. Hori, R. Iannaccone, T. Kim, H. Abe, M. Kuwabara, K. Yamasaki, N. Kikkawa, et al. Assessment of Two 3D MDCT Colonography Protocols for Observation of Colorectal Polyps Am. J. Roentgenol., January 1, 2006; 186(1): 85 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Macari and E. J. Bini CT Colonography: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going? Radiology, December 1, 2005; 237(3): 819 - 833. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Silva, A. K. Hara, J. A. Leighton, and J. P. Heppell CT Colonography with Intravenous Contrast Material: Varied Appearances of Colorectal Carcinoma RadioGraphics, September 1, 2005; 25(5): 1321 - 1334. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]