CT enteroclysis finds colorectal endometriosis.(Gynecology)

CHICAGO -- Multislice CT with enteroclysis is an effective method to detect colorectal involvement in patients with endometriosis, Dr. Ennio Biscaldi reported at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Women affected by pelvic endometriosis usually undergo surgery to detect bowel involvement. If intestinal loops are involved, a second surgery is then required to resect the involved loop.

The main advantage of CT enteroclysis over the standard of video laparoscopy is that it provides a good view of the intestinal wall and the depth of involvement of the bowel wall, allowing surgeons to determine before the intervention if an intestinal resection is needed.

"With our technique, surgeons have an instrument for preoperative planning," Dr. Biscaldi said in an interview. "We detect the bowel involvement and evaluate the depth of loop infiltration to plan preoperatively if a nodulectomy or an intestinal resection is needed. The patient is informed in advance, and the abdominal surgeon, if needed, is called to operate with the gynecologist."

The disadvantages of the imaging technique are that it may underestimate submucosal involvement, may not always recognize very small nodules, and uses ionizing radiation in women of reproductive age, said Dr. Biscaldi, a radiologist with San ...