CT Colonography - Towards Applications for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the large intestine is globally called computed tomography colonography(CTC). CTC has been intensively investigated for application in colorectal cancer screening in Western countriesand with the advent of multi-slice CT (MSCT), which provides effective high resolution in 3D CT images, thediagnostic use of CT for colorectal lesions has become a concept widely accepted throughout the world. Computeraideddetection (CAD) for colorectal polyps using digital CT image data and digital pre-processing are alsoadvancing in the West. Compared with colonoscopy, which depends largely on the skill of the performer, CTCproduces objective and reproducible diagnostic images and presents a high probability of standardizingexamination protocols. Development of effective systems for screening colorectal lesions is expected, leveragingthe excellent processing capability of MSCT to enhance 3D visualization and allow efficient detection.