title: Dry preparation for virtual CT colonography with fecal tagging using water-soluble contrast medium: initial results.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a dry bowel preparation, i.e. without laxative fluids, for virtual CT colonography (VCTC), and its impact on patient acceptance compared with conventional colonoscopy (CC). A randomly chosen patient population scheduled for CC ( n=11) was first submitted to VCTC after a dry preparation, consisting of low-residue meals combined with a small amount of a iodinated water-soluble contrast medium during each meal 3 days before VCTC. In different colon segments and between different persons, the degree of tagging in VCTC was evaluated and graded. Patient acceptance and future preference were assessed for both preparations as well as for both investigations. The mixing of the contrast with the intestinal content results in contrast impregnated stool, the tagged feces. The degree of fecal tagging was good in the majority of the patients and the colonic segments, especially in the descending colon and sigmoid. Furthermore, patient acceptance and preference were clearly in favour of VCTC compared with CC merely because of the non-invasiveness of the dry preparation. Dry bowel preparation and VCTC is a promising approach towards a patient-friendly colon cancer-screening setup.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, K.U. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. didier.bielen@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bielen
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomeer
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanbeckevoort
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutgeerts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic / Q000379:methods*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D004032:Diet; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate