How accurate is CT colonography?

Computed tomography (CT) colonography (CTC), also referred to as virtual colonoscopy, has received widespread attention as a new tool for the noninvasive detection of colorectal polyps and cancer. Since the introduction of CTC in 1994, multiple preliminary studies have been performed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of CTC in different patient cohorts. During this time, there have been tremendous advances in the image acquisition and display capabilities of this evolving technology. Our purpose will be to first discuss specific parameters that may affect the performance results, followed by a review of studies performed to date.