Preoperative local staging of colosigmoideal cancer: air versus water multidetector-row CT colonography

• Published in: Radiologia medica 2012-03, Vol.117 (2), p.254-267
• Main Authors: Stabile Ianora, A. A., Moschetta, M., Pedote, P., Scardapane, A., Angelelli, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal Radiology; Adult; Aged; Air; Colonic Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Colonic Neoplasms - pathology; Colonography, Computed Tomographic - methods; Contrast Media; Diagnostic Radiology; Female; Humans; Imaging; Interventional Radiology; Iopamidol - analogs & derivatives; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Neuroradiology; Predictive Value of Tests; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Radiologia Addominale; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sigmoid Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Sigmoid Neoplasms - pathology; Software; Ultrasound; Water
• ISSN: 0033-8362; 1826-6983
• DOI: 10.1007/s11547-011-0782-6

Purpose The authors sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) performed with two different hypodense endoluminal contrast agents for the preoperative staging of colosigmoideal cancer. Materials and methods Seventy consecutive patients with an endoscopically and histologically proven diagnosis of colosigmoideal cancer underwent MDCT examination. Thirty-five patients were evaluated with water MDCT colonography and the remaining 35 with air MDCT colonography. Patients were randomly assigned to the air or water groups for staging. Transverse images and multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) were retrospectively examined by two blinded expert radiologists in order to assess T and N parameters, and the results were compared with histological findings. Results The overall diagnostic accuracy of MDCT was 68.6% for water and 62.8% for air colonography. In the evaluation of the T parameter, the accuracy values were 88.6% for water and 80% for air colonography. In staging of the N parameter, the accuracy values were 77.1% and 74.3% for water and air MDCT colonography, respectively. Conclusions MDCT examination can be proposed for the local staging of colosigmoideal cancer. Water is more accurate than air in evaluation of the T parameter, whereas the kind of endoluminal contrast material does not influence the definition of the N parameter.