National Survey of CT Colonography Practice in Ireland

CT Colonography was first introduced to Ireland in 1999. Our aim of this study is to review current CT Colonography practices in the Republic of Ireland. A questionnaire on CT Colonography practice was sent to all non-maternity adult radiology departments in the Republic of Ireland with a CT scanner. The results are interpreted in the context of the recommendations on CT Colonography quality standards as published by the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) consensus statement in the journal of European Radiology in 2013. Thirty centres provide CT Colonography; 21 of which responded (70%). Each centre performs median 90 studies per year; the majority follow accepted patient preparation and image acquisition protocols. Seventy-six percent of the centres repsonded that the majority of patients imaged are symptomatic. Of the 51 consultant radiologists reading CT Colonography, 37 (73%) have attended a CT Colonography course. In 17 (81%) of the centres the studies are single read although 81% of the centres have access to a second radiologist's opinion. Fourteen (67%) of the centres reported limited access to CT scanner time as the major limiting factor to expanding their service. CT Colonography is widely available in Ireland and is largely performed in accordance with European recommendations.