Patients' preferences about follow-up of medium size polyps detected at screening CT colonography

To evaluate patients' preferences regarding follow-up of medium size polyps detected at screening CT colonography (CTC).

193 C-RADS2 asymptomatic patients were asked to fill in a form explaining the indications, technique and potential complications of CTC, and were invited to choose their preferred examination technique (CTC or optical colonoscopy: OC) and their follow-up interval by repeated consultations at 3-month intervals. The follow-up interval for CTC and OC was recorded.

87/193 C-RADS2 patients (45.1%) accepted follow-up. Average time interval for follow-up was comparable between CTC and OC (9.00 ± 4.24 vs. 9.00 ± 4.39 months, respectively; P = 0.7188). No patients chose to undergo a 3-year follow-up with either CTC or OC. Most patients elected to have follow-up with either CTC or OC before 18 months rather than later (P = 0.0004).

A substantial fraction of C-RADS2 patients prefer to undergo immediate OC and polyp removal rather than follow-up, and the majority of those accepting follow-up are willing to wait for less than 18 months. Such findings may suggest a revision of the proposed C-RADS2 category.