title: Evolving role of computed tomographic colonography in colon cancer screening and diagnosis.
abstract: Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is a relatively new imaging modality for the examination of patients for colorectal polyps and cancer. It has been validated in its accuracy for the detection of colon cancer and larger polyps (more than likely premalignant). CTC, however, is not widely accepted as a primary screening modality in the United States at present by many third-party payers, including Medicare, and its exact role in screening is evolving. Moreover, there has been opposition to incorporating CTC as an accepted screening instrument, especially by gastroenterologists. Heretofore, optical colonoscopy has been the mainstay in this screening. We discuss these issues and the continuing controversies concerning CTC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Friedel
authors.forename: Shahzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Stavros N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
authors.forename: Jay P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Babich
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic; D003113:Colonoscopy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity