title: Extracolonic findings at CT colonography: a review of 258 consecutive cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is a non-invasive method of examining the colon and is used for colorectal polyp and mass diagnosis. As the entire abdomen is examined, incidental extracolonic pathologies can be diagnosed. The types of extracolonic findings (ECFs) and their frequency have not been explored in an Australian setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all CTC examinations performed in an Australian tertiary hospital between February 2004 and July 2009 were reviewed to extract patient demographic data, reason for referral, presence of colonic polyps and masses, presence of other colonic and extracolonic pathologies. Statistical significance was determined using a Student's t-test or Fisher's exact test where appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred fifty-eight CTC examinations were performed and an ECF was present in 70.1% and were more common with increasing age (P ≤ 0.01), but were not related to gender, or source of referral or the presence of colonic findings. Major ECFs were diagnosed in 8.9% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECFs are more frequent with increasing age and although they are common, only a minority are of high significance.
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Department, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia. tom.sutherland@svhm.org.au
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Wai-Kit
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology