Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: preliminary comparison of 64-section CT enteroclysis with video capsule endoscopy

To retrospectively compare the diagnostic capabilities of 64-section CT enteroclysis with those of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) to elucidate the cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Thirty-two patients who had 64-section CT enteroclysis and VCE because of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding were included. Imaging findings were compared with those obtained at double balloon endoscopy, surgery and histopathological analysis, which were used as a standard of reference.

Concordant findings were found in 22 patients (22/32; 69%), including normal findings (n=13), tumours (n=7), lymphangiectasia (n=1) and inflammation (n=1), and discrepancies in 10 patients (10/32; 31%), including ulcers (n=3), angioectasias (n=2), tumours (n=2) and normal findings (n=3). No statistical difference in the proportions of abnormal findings between 64-section CT enteroclysis (11/32; 34%) and VCE (17/32, 53%) (P=0.207) was found. However, 64-section CT enteroclysis helped identify tumours not detected at VCE (n=2) and definitely excluded suspected tumours (n=3) because of bulges at VCE. Conversely, VCE showed ulcers (n=3) and angioectasias (n=2) which were not visible at 64-section CT enteroclysis.

Our results suggest that 64-section CT enteroclysis and VCE have similar overall diagnostic yields in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. However, the two techniques are complementary in this specific population.