Editorial: CTC interpretation by gastroenterologists: feasible but largely impractical, undesirable, and misguided.

Abstract

As shown by Young et al. (1) in this issue of the Americn Journal of Gastroenterology, adequate diagnostic performance in the interpretation of computed tomographic colonography (CTC) would appear to be achievable for a subset of gastroenterologists with a specific interest in colorectal screening. Although it is likely that some gastroenterologists will aspire to interpret CTC in clinical practice, there are a number of issues and circumstances that should first be considered, as they may dampen this enthusiasm somewhat. In the end, quality assurance measures will help ensure adequate performance levels for CTC interpretation, whether read by radiologists or nonradiologists. This editorial commentary will review the relevant issues surrounding CTC interpretation by gastroenterologists.