Can acute abdominal CT prioritise patients with suspected diverticulitis for a subsequent clean colonic examination?

• Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with diverticulitis can be prioritised with higher urgency for a subsequent full colonic examination based upon the emergency abdominal computerised tomography (CT) at the time of presentation.Method: All patients with a diagnosis of diverticulitis hospitalized during 2006 having CT on admission and a subsequent 'clean colon' examination were reviewed. The CT was reviewed by two independent and blinded senior radiologists (A and B) for signs inconsistent with diverticulitis and suggestive of malignancy. The patients were classified on CT into group 1 (normal findings, non-tumour pathology or benign polyps < 1 cm) and group 2 (benign polyps ≥ 1 cm and cancer).Results: 93 patients were reviewed with 83 in group 1and 10 in group 2. Radiologist A suggested high priority colonic examination in 18% and 50% of groups 1 and 2, and Radiologist B in 63% and 90%. There was a statically significant inter-observer difference and also lower accuracy of Radiologist B than Radiologist A in predicting a subsequent 'clean colon' examination.Conclusion: Using an emergency acute CT scan at the time of diagnosis of diverticulitis to predict a clean colon examination for neoplasia is not reliable since there is considerable degree of inter-observer difference between rediologista.

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