Colon cancer screening with CT may also identify heart a...( CHICAGO Virtual colonoscopy an imagin...),Health

"This early study points to the possibility of multiple diagnostic benefits for patients participating in certain colon cancer screenings," said lead author, Jesse A. Davila, M.D., a fellow in musculoskeletal radiology at the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville in Florida.

Computed tomographic (CT) colonography, more commonly known as virtual colonoscopy, is a minimally invasive procedure that tests for colon cancer by creating 2-D and 3-D fly-through images that identify such abnormalities as pre-cancerous polyps. Virtual colonoscopy requires no sedation and is less costly than conventional colonoscopy.

"With virtual colonoscopy providing a less invasive approach to diagnosing colon cancer, we wanted to measure whether additional information could be gained during the scan," Dr. Davila said. "Because cardiovascular disease is often asymptomatic prior to a major event, we hoped that we could use the scan to measure calcium deposit levels within the aorta and its branching vessels without the need for additional testing."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, followed closely by cancer. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society recommends that men and women be screened for colon cancer beginning at age 50.

The researchers reviewed the records of 480 patients who received virtual colonoscopy exams at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., from 1995 to 1998.

Medical records showed a direct correlation between high aortic calcium scores measured during the procedure and the nine patients who experienced heart attacks subsequent to t
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Contact: Maureen Morley
mmorley@rsna.org
630-590-7762
Radiological Society of North America
1-Dec-2004