Evaluation of patients via colonoscopy who underwent positron emission tomography/computerized tomography due to colon involvement

OBJECTIVE: Fluorodeoxyglucose is not a tumor-specific agent and it can also be involved in benign conditions, which may cause diagnostic confusion. This research aims to elucidate the colonoscopic findings of patients who underwent colonoscopy due to colon involvement in positron emission tomography/computerized tomography. METHODS: A total of 71 patients who underwent colonoscopy due to colonic involvement in positron emission tomography/computerized tomography at SBU Keçiören Training and Research Hospital Gastroenterology Clinic Endoscopy Unit have been analyzed retrospectively. Demographic characteristics of the patients, areas of involvement in positron emission tomography/computerized tomography, and severity have been obtained from the hospital database. RESULTS: The gastrointestinal involvement area of 22.5% (n=16) of the patients was ascending colon, 15.5% (n=11) was sigmoid, 15.5% (n=11) was rectum, 12.7% (n=9) was stomach, 11.3% (n=8) was transverse colon, 8.5% (n=6) was anal canal, 5.6% (n=4) was esophagus, and 5.6% (n=4) was descending colon. The endoscopic findings of 19.7% (n=14) patients were normal, whereas 29.6% (n=21) had polyps, 9.9% (n=7) had cancer, 2.8% (n=2) had an ulcer, 15.5% (n=11) had gastritis, 14.1% (n=10) had hemorrhoids, and 7% (n=5) had colitis. CONCLUSION: Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography can detect unexpected distant metastases with high sensitivity because it allows whole-body imaging. Curative resection significantly contributes to the choice of treatment modality in the pre-operative period of colorectal cancer patients with planned surgery.