Nicola Flor, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Miriam Mezzanzanica, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Andrea Pisani Ceretti, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Federica Balestra, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Paolo Rigamonti MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mauro Peri, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Davide Fabio Candito MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Francesco Sardanelli MD, Abstract Co-Author: Consultant, Bracco Group Research Grant, Bracco Group Consultant, Bayer AG Research Grant, Bayer AG Research Grant, IMS International Medical Scientific

Gianpaolo Cornalba MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the role of computed tomography colonography (CTC) in patients after an episode of acute diverticulitis.

Seventy-four patients (36 females and 38 males, aged between 38 and 87 years (63±18 years, mean ±standard deviation) underwent CTC with fecal tagging after an episode of acute diverticulitis, within 2 months since the acute episode. We evaluated the severity of diverticular disease using a five points-scale (0=no diverticula; I=diverticula without bowel thickening; II= diverticula with bowel thickening; III= diverticula with bowel thickening and stenosis; IV=diverticula, bowel wall thickening and severe stenosis) on 3D double contrast enema-like CTC view and multiplanar CTC reconstructions, respectively. Thirty-two out of 74 patients underwent surgery after CTC. All the patients were contacted by telephone after a minimum follow-up of 12 months and data about recurrent diverticulitis, time of recurrence, type of treatment and type of therapy were recorded. No complication of CTC.

The quality of the CTC was good in 64/74 patients; in 10 cases the distension was poor due to the severity of the lumen stenosis. About severity of disease, we found: class I (n=13); class II (n=28); class III (n=23); class IV(n=10). Among the 32 patients who underwent surgery, pathology revealed: acute and/or chronic inflammation (n=29); sigmoid colon cancer (n=2); IBD (n=1). All the 2 patients with sigmoid colon cancer were classified as class IV. CTC revealed at least one unknown polyp greater than 6 mm in 15/74 (20%) patients; one patient had a 12 mm right colon flat lesion revealed as cancer at pathology.

CTC of patients after an acute episode of diverticulitis is a safe procedure for evaluating the severity of the disease and excluding other disease.

CTC represents a robust and safe tool for investigate patients after an episode of acute diverticular disease. Information given by CTC are crucial for clinician and surgeon for therapeutic strategy.

Flor, N, Mezzanzanica, M, Pisani Ceretti, A, Balestra, F, Rigamonti, P, Peri, M, Candito, D, Sardanelli, F, Cornalba, G, Follow-up of Acute Diverticulitis with Computed Tomography Colonography: Our Experience.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12028368.html