"Several multidisciplinary groups involved in CRC screening guideline development ... have endorsed CT colonography for CRC screening."
The AGA standards were updated in light of the increasing uniformity of findings regarding the sensitivity of CTC, which has led to a greater acceptance of the technology for clinical practice, according to the authors. Attention paid to this technology has also increased because of the relatively low (50%-55%) compliance with population-wide CRC screening recommendations.
Multiple reasons for the low compliance rates are cited, and chief among them is the inconvenient, uncomfortable, and invasive nature of other, more widely accepted screening modalities including flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, they noted.
CT colonography is an attractive option because of its simpler, noninvasive nature, and although the method requires a preprocedure bowel purge, the possibility of performing CTC without a bowel purge in the future is a promising area of research.
From the patient’s perspective, a sensitive screening test that does not require bowel purge would likely further increase interest in CT colonography, Dr. Barbara Jung, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, said in an interview.
Although she does not use CT colonography, Dr. Jung said she has seen an increase in patient requests, and suspects interest will continue to increase among some gastroenterologists to perform the test, particularly as more data become available. The required training is substantial, however, and at this time could be a deterrent for those who are "pretty busy doing what they’re already doing," she said, adding that its use will be institution dependent based on the local expertise and availability.
For board-certified gastroenterologists who are interested in performing CTC, the updated standards "describe in depth" the necessary skills, training, and other requirements for appropriate use and interpretation, Dr. Jung added.
The authors of the updated standards reported having no disclosures.