title: The use of air or CO2 as insufflation agents for double contrast barium enema (DCBE): is there a qualitative difference?
abstract: One hundred consecutive out-patients referred for double contrast barium enema (DCBE) were randomized in a double-blind prospective study to receive either air or CO2 as an insufflation agent. Each examination was performed by the same radiologist and radiographer. The two groups were equally matched for age and sex. Each completed examination was independently assessed by three radiologists for a variety of parameters. The results show that the patients receiving air as an insufflation agent had better overall colonic distension than the group receiving CO2 and that this was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). There was no significant difference in the mean time taken to perform the examination in the two groups nor was there any significant difference in mucosal coating or preparation. In conclusion, our results suggest that poor colonic distension is a potential problem when CO2 is used for DCBE and that this cannot be solely attributed to the time taken to perform the examination. Poor distension could lead to diagnostic errors and this may outweigh the advantages in patient acceptability when using CO2 as an insufflation agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Central Middlesex Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Scullion
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wetton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Shorvon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000388:Air; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004733:Enema / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011029:Pneumoradiography / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D001466:Barium Sulfate