Computed tomography colonography and radiation risk: How low can we go?

Table 1 Advantages and limitations of computed tomography colonography

Advantage	Limitation
Minimally invasive procedure	Exclusively diagnostic method
Safe procedure	Ionizing radiation
No need for sedation	Fecal residue simulate pathology
Short examination time	Laxative residue simulate pathology
Assess to extracolonic disease	Flat lesions
Three dimensional view
View of the entire colonic surface
Access to post-obstructed bowel
“Second look“

Table 2 Comparison of different ionizing radiation doses for different examinations

Examination	Ionizing radiation dose [mSv]
X-ray lung	0, 1
X-ray abdomen	1
Barium enema fluoroscopy exam	9
CT abdomen and pelvis (w/o contrast)	10
CTC (2 series)	20
CTC ultra low-dose protocol	2

CT: Computed tomography; CTC: Computed tomography colonography.