Characterization of Rectal Neoplasms Using Computerized Tomography

Abstract

The aims of this study were to characterize and localize the rectal neoplasms by the computerized tomography (CT) and sigmoidoscopy in patients who suspected to have colorectal neoplasms. It was conducted at Radiology and Endoscopy Departments - Soba Hospital-Khartoum-Sudan. This study was extended from October 2011 to December 2011, fifty patients were studied including 34 males and 16 females, and their mean age was 52.5 years ranged from 25–85 years. All patients underwent sigmoidoscopy, axial CT images for pelvis, enhanced with contrast medium, and biopsy as confirmation method. The location of rectal neoplasm was measured in (cm) and the lesions were characterized in CT as circumferential, eccentric rectal wall thickening, masses, tumors according to thier contrast enhancement, in Sigmodioscopy the lesions were classified as seen into polyploidy, obstructive, ulcerative, circumferential lesions and tumor. In the histopathology findings, the lesions were characterized as poor, moderate, well differentiated adenocarcinoma and Tubulovillous adenoma.The study showed that the males were more affected than females. Sigmoidoscopy and CT can predict the lesion type and characterize the changes in the rectum and rectosigmoid region according to its citation from the anal verge significantly at p- value 0.001and 0.038. No significant relation was found between the biopsy results and the presence of the lesions through distance from anus at P-value 0.161. When comparing the CT, sigmoidoscopy and biopsy results; CT has an accuracy of 72% and sensitivity of 69.9 %, sigmoidoscopy has an accuracy of 86.0%and sensitivity of 88.9% where the biopsy has accuracy of 90% and sensitivity 89.1% in differentiation of rectal neoplasms. It can be believed that CT and sigmoidiscopy should be performed together and used as essential methods in diagnosing of rectal neoplasms in addition to histopathological examination as an effective tool in determining the possibility of malignancy of this detected neoplasms.