Role of CT colonography in differentiating sigmoid cancer from chronic diverticular disease

Purpose To evaluate the accuracy of computed tomography colonography (CTC) in differentiating chronic diverticular disease from colorectal cancer (CRC), using morphological and textural parameters. Materials and methods We included 95 consecutive patients with histologically proven chronic diverticular disease ( n = 53) or CRC ( n = 42) who underwent CTC. One radiologist, unaware of histological findings, evaluated CTC studies for the presence of potential discriminators including: maximum thickness, involved segment length, shouldering phenomenon, growth pattern, diverticula, fascia thickening, fat tissue edema, loco-regional lymph nodes, mucosal pattern. Another radiologist performed volumetric texture analysis on the involved segment. Results Several qualitative imaging parameters resulted to significantly correlated with colorectal cancer, including absence of diverticula in the affected segment, straightened growth pattern and shouldering phenomenon. A maximum wall thickness/involved segment length ratio < 0.1 had 98% specificity and 47% sensitivity in identifying diverticular disease. Regarding first-order texture analysis parameters, kurtosis resulted to be significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions Absence of diverticula, straightened growth pattern and shouldering phenomenon are significantly associated with CRC (71–91% sensitivity; 82–91%).