Double-Contrast Barium Enema for CRC Detection: Going, Going . . .

Double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) is currently endorsed as an option for detecting adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the rate of missed CRC with DCBE — 14.8% in one large multicenter study (Gastroenterol 1997; 112:17) — is of concern. Now, investigators have evaluated the miss rate with DCBE in a large population-based study in Ontario, Canada.

Using province- and nationwide databases, researchers identified 13,849 patients with newly diagnosed CRC who had undergone DCBE in the 36 months prior to receiving a diagnosis of CRC. If the time interval from DCBE to CRC was <6 months, the cancer was assumed to have been detected by DCBE. If the time interval was 6 to 36 months, the cancer was assumed to be new or missed by …