ACCEPTABILITY OF VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY AS A COMMUNITY BASED CRC SCREENING TEST IN ASYMPTOMATIC AVERAGE RISK SUBJECTS

Abstract

Objectives The acceptability of virtual colonoscopy (VC) in an average risk colorectal cancer (CRC) screening population is unknown. Our aims were to (1) assess acceptability of VC and (2) compare this with colonoscopy (CY), in a community based screening programme.Methods Randomly selected asymptomatic average risk subjects aged 50–54 or 65–69 years were invited to participate in a VC based CRC screening programme. Virtual colonoscopy involved a sodium picosulfate (picolax) based bowel preparation, hyoscine butylbromide (buscopan) injection, rectal insertion of Foley's catheter, inflation of the bowel by CO2 and supine and prone CT scans. Of 174 (M:F 91:83) subjects who have completed screening by VC, 43 had a positive VC and underwent CY on the same day. CY subjects received a mean sedation of midazolam 3.4 mg, pethidine 59 mg. All participants completed questionnaires following their procedure (s).Results Visual analogue scale questionnaire results (median scores). (0 = most favourable, 100 = least favourable) Pain Tolerated General satisfaction Level of embarrassment How likely to do again All VC n = 174 16 11 6 7 5 VC and CY n = 43 VC 17 17 7.5 5 4 CY 4 5 2.5 2 2 Was procedure better, worse or similar to expected? Better (%) Similar (%) Worse (%) All VC n = 174 50 43 7 CY n = 43 88 9 3 VC CY No preference Preferred procedure (n = 43) 7 14 22 Conclusion VC is a highly acceptable screening test. The vast majority of subjects would readily have either VC or CY again.