Dissection versus fly-through views in the interpretation of computed tomographic colonography: a pilot study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
In Japan, methods of interpreting computed tomography (CT) colonography have not been standardized. The fly-through view of three-dimensional images is the world standard method of interpreting CT colonographies. In Japan, however, the dissection view is also used in many cases.
METHODS
The study included 100 CT colonographic examinations with colonoscopic verification. Each case was interpreted by a novice reader twice: once using the dissection view plus multi-planar reconstruction (the dissection group) and once using the fly-through view plus multi-planar reconstruction (the fly-through group). Cases were also divided into two sets. The first set included cases 1-50, while the second set included cases 51-100.
RESULTS
In the first set, per-polyp sensitivity for lesions 6 mm or larger was 67.9% (19/28) for the dissection group and 89.3% (25/28) for the fly-through group. In the second set, corresponding values were 86.1% (31/36) and 91.7% (33/36). In the first set, per-polyp sensitivity for lesions 10 mm or larger was 72.7% (8/11) for the dissection group and 90.9% (10/11) for the fly-through group. In the second set, corresponding values were 100% (8/8) and 100% (8/8). The statistical analysis revealed that per-polyp sensitivity for lesions 6 mm or larger in the first set was significantly higher in the fly-through group than in the dissection group (p=0.034).
CONCLUSIONS
Sensitivity was superior in the fly-through group compared to the dissection group. Regarding the standardization of CT colonography in Japan, we believe that interpretations should be performed using the fly-through view.