B-0948 Computed tomography of the bowel: a prospective comparison study between four techniques

M. Revelli, F. Paparo, L. Bacigalupo, A. Garlaschi, L. Cevasco, E. Biscaldi, G. Rollandi | Monday, March 11, 14:00 – 15:30 / Room E2

Purpose: Our purposes were to compare the grade of bowel distension obtained with four different CT techniques dedicated for examination of small intestine (CT-enteroclysis and CT-enterography), colon (CT with water enema), or both (CT-enterography with water enema) and to assess patient tolerance towards each protocol.
Methods and Materials: We recruited four groups of 30 patients. Each group corresponded to a specific CT technique, for a total of 120 consecutive patients (65 male, 55 female; mean age 51.09±13.36 years). CT studies were evaluated in consensus by two gastrointestinal-dedicated radiologists who performed quantitative and qualitative analysis of bowel distension. Presence and type of adverse effects were recorded.
Results: CT-enteroclysis provided the best distension of jejunal loops (median diameter 27mm; range 17-32mm) compared with all other techniques (p<0.0001). Frequency of patients with an adequate distension of the terminal ileum was not significantly different among the four groups (p=0.0608). At both quantitative and qualitative analysis CT with water enema and CT-enterography with water enema determined a greater and more consistent luminal filling of the large intestine compared with the one provided by both CT-enteroclysis and CT-enterography (p<0.0001 for all colonic segments). Adverse effects were more frequent in patients from the CT-enteroclysis group (p<0.0028).
Conclusion: CT-enteroclysis allows an optimal distension of jejunal loops, but it is the most uncomfortable CT protocol. When performing CT with water enema, an adequate retrograde distension of the terminal ileum was provided in a high percentage of patients. CT-enterography with water enema provides a simultaneous optimal distension of both small and large bowel.

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