Virtual magnetic resonance colonography.
Colorectal cancer screening has vast potential. Beyond considerations for cost and diagnostic accuracy, the effectiveness of any colorectal screening strategy will be dependent on the degree of patient acceptance. Magnetic resonance (MR) colonography has been shown to be accurate regarding the detection of clinically relevant colonic polyps exceeding 10 mm in size, with reported sensitivity and specificity values exceeding 95%. To further increase patient acceptance, strategies for fecal tagging have recently been developed. By modulating the signal of fecal material to be identical to the signal characteristics of the enema applied to distend the colon, fecal tagging in conjunction with MR colonography obviates the need for bowel cleansing. The review will describe the techniques underlying MR colonography and describe early clinical experience with fecal tagging techniques.
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. debatin@uni-essen.de
J F
JF
Debatin
T C
TC
Lauenstein
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004733:Enema; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media