Colonoscopy Smashes CT Colonography for Sessile Serrated Polyp Detection

In a post hoc analysis of findings from a previously published randomized, controlled trial comparing colonoscopy to computed tomography colonography (CTC) for population colorectal cancer screening, investigators examined detection of sessile serrated polyps (SSPs).

CTC was performed in the study with a reduced bowel preparation protocol. In a previous study using this protocol for CTC, colonoscopy outperformed CTC for detection of conventional adenomas (NEJM JW Gastroenterol Apr 2012 and Lancet Oncol 2012; 13:55).

In the current analysis, 4.3% of 1276 colonoscopy participants had ≥1 high-risk SSP (SSP ≥10 mm or SSP with dysplasia) versus 0.8% of 982 CTC participants. In the colonoscopy arm, 3.1% of patients had a high-risk SSP identified as…