title: Detection of intracolonic lesion by barium contrast enema. The importance of adequate colon preparation to diagnostic accuracy.
abstract: Frequently, the clinical significance of the barium contrast enema is minimal because of inadequate colon preparation prior to examination. The frequency of false-positive routine barium enemas was 17% in 230 consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopy for removal of specific radiographically identified polypoid colon lesions. Initial barium enema inaccuracies were documented with postendoscopic air-contrast radiography in colons that were endoscopically proved to be mechanically clean following a two-day colon preparation. These results suggest that more emphasis on a two-day colon preparation, before the initial barium contrast enema, would substantially reduce the frequency of false-positive interpretations.
mesh_terms: D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004724:Endoscopy; D004733:Enema / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011859:Radiography; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate