Korean J Intern Med.  2009 Mar;24(1):43-47. 10.3904/kjim.2009.24.1.43.

A Comparison of Patient Acceptance and Preferences Between CT Colonography and Conventional Colonoscopy in Colorectal Cancer Screening

• Jung HS
• Park DK
• Kim MJ
• Yu SK
• Kwon KA
• Ku YS
• Kim YK
• Kim JH

• KMID: 1785641
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2009.24.1.43

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal cancer, one of the most common cancers in developed countries, is curable when diagnosed at an early stage. However, for better screening, both a test that patients will tolerate and diagnostic accuracy are required. We compared patient experiences and preferences between computed tomographic (CT) colonography and conventional colonoscopy (CC) under conscious sedation. METHODS: Patients referred to the gastrointestinal clinic for CC were enrolled to also undergo CT colonography prior to CC. After each procedure, patients completed a questionnaire in which variables, such as abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and loss of dignity, were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale, with the highest score representing the worst experience. To verify response stability, a telephone questionnaire followed within 24 h after each procedure. Patients were then asked about their preference for CT colonography or CC. RESULTS: Data were collected from 51 patients who fulfilled all requirements, including CT colonography, CC, the two questionnaires after each procedure, and a follow-up questionnaire. Severity of abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and a loss of dignity were reported to be higher in CT colonography than in CC (p<0.01). In addition, the preference for CC was significantly higher than that for CT colonography (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Although CT colonography is a safe and noninvasive screening test for colorectal cancer, further study is required to increase patient acceptance.

Keyword

CT colonography; Conventional colonoscopy; Colorectal cancer

MeSH Terms

Colonography, Computed Tomographic/*methods/psychology
Colonoscopy/*methods/psychology
Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Male
Mass Screening/*methods/psychology
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care/*psychology
*Patient Satisfaction
Prospective Studies
Questionnaires