Water enema computed tomography: diagnostic tool in suspicion of colorectal tumor.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of water enema multi-row computed tomography for detecting clinically suspected colorectal tumor.


METHODS
A water enema multi-row computed tomography (WE-MR-CT) was performed in 128 consecutive patients (71 women, mean age 67.7 years) referred for suspicion of colorectal cancer. We defined at least one centimeter size of the lesion as the threshold of detection. The results of WE-MR-CT were compared with the diagnosis obtained by colonoscopy, pathology or clinical follow-up.


RESULTS
The overall sensitivity and specificity of water enema multi-row CT in identifying patients with colorectal lesions were 95.5% and 93.5%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 98.8% for a 10-mm threshold lesion size. WE-MR-CT allowed identifying synchronous lesions in three cases.


CONCLUSIONS
WE-MR-CT can accurately detect supracentimetric colorectal tumors. The performance of this technique should be further evaluated in prospective studies.
Service de Radiologie Digestive, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon. frank.pilleul@chu-lyon.fr
Frank
F
Pilleul
Aurélie
A
Bansac-Lamblin
Olivier
O
Monneuse
Jérome
J
Dumortier
Laurent
L
Milot
Pierre-Jean
PJ
Valette
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004733:Enema; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water
D014867:Water