Optical Colonoscopy and Virtual Colonoscopy Numbers after Initiation of a Ct Colonography Program: Long term Data

Abstract

Background & Aims: The effect of CT colonography (CTC) screening on colonoscopy is unknown. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of a CTC screening program on the number of screening, therapeutic and total colonoscopies performed.

Methods: We compared the quarterly mean numbers of colonoscopic examinations performed for 50-79 year olds undergoing colorectal cancer screening in 2003, before initiation of a CTC program, to 2011, seven years after the CTC program began at our academic tertiary care facility.

Results: The CTC program began in 2004 with a peak number of 387 CTC examinations performed in the 3rd quarter of 2005 and 275 examinations in the final quarter of 2011. Screening colonoscopies increased from 555 mean/quarter in 2003 to 1460 in 2011 (P < 0.001). The mean/quarter number of total colonoscopies performed increased from 1104 in 2003 to 2382 in 2011 (P < 0.001). The number of overall colon cancer screening examinations (Colonoscopy + CTC) increased from 555/quarter in 2003 to 1736 in 2011 (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Since the initiation of CTC screening at our institution, the overall number of total colorectal cancer screening examinations (CTC + colonoscopy) has greatly increased. The initiation of a CTC screening program did not lead to a reduction in the number of colonoscopic examinations performed. Conversely, a significant increase in the number of screening and total colonoscopies completed was observed.