title: Sensitivity of diagnostic examinations for colorectal polyps.
abstract: The removal of adenomatous polyps of the large bowel reduces mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC). Faecal occult blood testing only reveals 20.40% of polyps. The flexible rectosigmoidoscope explores less than half of the large bowel. Its use should always be coupled with faecal occult blood testing which, if positive, requires a total colonoscopy. The sensitivity of double-contrast barium enema for the search of polyps is 35%. Colonoscopy does not reach the caecum in about 10% of cases. It misses 15-20% of polyps with diameter <10 mm and about 6% of polyps with diameter >10 mm. Virtual colonoscopy has substantially the same sensitivity as optical colonoscopy for polyps > or =7 mm in diameter.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine 2, S. Paolo Hospital, Via Genova 30, I-17100, Savona, Italy. menardo@virgilio.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menardo
mesh_terms: D018256:Adenomatous Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004733:Enema; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009780:Occult Blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate