CT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy)

Diagnostic CT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy)

NOTE

Policies for the use of CT colonography are subject to change and may vary from health plan to health plan

Failed or contraindicated fiberoptic colonoscopy

Contraindications

• Bleeding disorder
• Contraindication to sedation
• Recent myocardial infarction

Fiberoptic colonoscopy attempted but incomplete

References

• Pickhardt, Perry J., Hassan, Cesare, Laghi, Andrea, Kim, David H., Zullo, Angelo, Iafrate, Franco, Morini, Sergion Is There Sufficient MDCT Capacity to Provide Colorectal Cancer Screening with CT Colonography for the U.S. Population? Am. J. Roentgenol. 2008 190: 1044-1049
• Pickhardt, Perry J. Screening CT Colonography: How I Do It Am. J. Roentgenol. 2007 189: 290-298
• Johnson, C. Daniel, Manduca, Armando, Fletcher, Joel G., MacCarty, Robert L., Carston, Michael J., Harmsen, W. Scott, Mandrekar, Jay N. Noncathartic CT Colonography with Stool Tagging: Performance With and Without Electronic Stool Subtraction Am. J. Roentgenol. 2008 190: 361-366 “CONCLUSION. In this increased-risk referral population, CT colonography in the non-cathartic-tagged colon without dietary restrictions compared favorably with optical colonoscopy.”
• Perry J. Pickhardt, David H. Kim, and Andrew J. Taylor Asymptomatic Pneumatosis at CT Colonography: A Benign Self-Limited Imaging Finding Distinct from Perforation Am. J. Roentgenol., Feb 2008; 190: W112 – W117
• Kim, David H., Pickhardt, Perry J., Taylor, Andrew J., Leung, Winifred K., Winter, Thomas C., Hinshaw, J. Louis, Gopal, Deepak V., Reichelderfer, Mark, Hsu, Richard H., Pfau, Patrick R. CT Colonography versus Colonoscopy for the Detection of Advanced Neoplasia N Engl J Med 2007 357: 1403-1412
• James Brice CMS rules against Medicare payment for CT colonography Diagnostic Imaging. May 12, 2009

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