Extracolonic findings of computed tomographic colonography in Koreans.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency and characteristics of extracolonic lesions detected using computed tomographic (CT) colonography.


METHODS
The significance of extracolonic lesions was classified as high, intermediate, or low. Medical records were reviewed to establish whether further investigations were carried out pertaining to the extracolonic lesions that were detected by CT colonography.


RESULTS
A total of 920 cases from 7 university hospitals were included, and 692 extracolonic findings were found in 532 (57.8%) patients. Of 692 extracolonic findings, 60 lesions (8.7%) were highly significant, 250 (36.1%) were of intermediate significance, and 382 (55.2%) were of low significance. CT colonography revealed fewer extracolonic findings in subjects who were without symptoms (P < 0.001), younger (P < 0.001), or who underwent CT colonography with no contrast enhancement (P = 0.005). CT colonography with contrast enhancement showed higher cost-effectiveness in detecting highly significant extracolonic lesions in older subjects and in subjects with symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the extracolonic findings detected using CT colonography were of less significant lesions. The role of CT colonography would be optimized if this procedure was performed with contrast enhancement in symptomatic older subjects.
Park
Sung-Keun
SK
Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital 108, Pyung-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul 110-746, South Korea.
Park
Dong-Il
DI
Lee
Sun-Young
SY
Lee
Sang-Kil
SK
Kim
Young-Ho
YH
Lee
Soon-Jin
SJ
Byeon
Jeong-Sik
JS
Huh
Kyu-Chan
KC
Shim
Ki-Nam
KN