Extracolonic findings identified in asymptomatic adults at screening CT colonography.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the wide variety of extracolonic findings that may be encountered at screening CT colonography (CTC) in asymptomatic adults as well as to discuss the pertinent issues regarding the detection of potential abnormalities in a healthy population. Regardless of whether extracolonic evaluation resulting from CTC screening is viewed as a net benefit or liability, it is an unavoidable responsibility that must be handled with care by the interpreting radiologist. Although many potential abnormalities may be questioned, the pretest probability of clinically relevant disease is quite low in average-risk asymptomatic adults, which may influence subsequent management decisions.