Our institution has been using an internally developed system for the analysis of Computed Tomographic Colonography (CTC) since 1994. This system has gone through several major revisions during that period. Careful application of 'total quality management' (TQM) principles have been utilized to enhance such aspects of performance as patient comfort, latency between examination and reporting of results, capability and reliability of 'picture archive system' (PACS) and network components, as well as reliability of results. CTC is now being practiced at our institution for clinical screening and research applications. To date, 1500 patients have been scanned. On an average day, six patients are scanned for research and/or clinical purposes. Research patient data remain on the CTC workstation for future analysis by the Radiologists while clinical patient data are analyzed as soon as the data have been received at the CTC workstation. An enlarged dynamic axial stack augmented by multiple interactive, off axis reformatted and perspective volume rendered endoluminal views have proven to be the most effective reading mode. Well over 1000 patient scans have been analyzed utilizing this specific protocol. When compared to corresponding patient BE and/or Colonoscopy procedures, CTC findings of potential cancers and polyps have compared very favorably.
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