CT colonography: the value of this method in the view of specialists.
OBJECTIVE
To map the view of surgeons on the role played by computed tomography colonography (CTC).


METHODS
An electronic questionnaire was sent to members of the Brazilian College of Surgeons. The questionnaire consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions about demographics and general knowledge about CTC.


RESULTS
The authors obtained 144 responses; 90.3% of the specialists were men, 60% with less than 30 years from graduation, 77.1% were gastrointestinal surgeons, 22.9% were general surgeons, 53.5% were involved in academic activity, and 59.7% had their professional activity in cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants. As regards the knowledge about CTC, 84.7% of the respondents knew the method, 70.8% knew how it is performed, 56.9% reported knowing the bowel preparation used for the procedure, 31.3% used the method, and 53.5% knew some CTC service in their city. About half of the respondents did not know the precise indication of the method. The method is most frequently known and used by professionals working in cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants (p < 0.005). There was a tendency of a more frequent use of the method by the professionals pursuing an academic career.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite its infrequent use in Brazil, CTC is a well known method, particularly in large urban centers and in the academic environment.
MD, Radiologist, Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Marcelo Longo
ML
Kierszenbaum
PhD, MD, Radiologist, Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Augusto Castelli
AC
von Atzingen
PhD, MD, Radiologist, Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), MD, Laboratório Fleury-São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Dario Ariel
DA
Tiferes
MD, Radiologist, Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Marcos Vinicius
MV
Alvim
Full Professors, Division of Surgical Gastroenterology, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Gaspar de Jesus
Gde J
Lopes Filho
Full Professors, Division of Surgical Gastroenterology, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Délcio
D
Matos
Professor, Department of Imaging Diagnosis, Escola Paulista de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), MD, Laboratório Fleury-São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Giuseppe
G
D'Ippolito
Computed tomography; Computed tomography colonography; Physician's practice patterns