Biomaterial Database

The use of air or CO2 as insufflation agents for double contrast barium enema (DCBE): is there a qualitative difference? 1995

D A Scullion, and C W Wetton, and C Davies, and L Whitaker, and P J Shorvon

Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Central Middlesex Hospital, London, UK.

One hundred consecutive out-patients referred for double contrast barium enema (DCBE) were randomized in a double-blind prospective study to receive either air or CO2 as an insufflation agent. Each examination was performed by the same radiologist and radiographer. The two groups were equally matched for age and sex. Each completed examination was independently assessed by three radiologists for a variety of parameters. The results show that the patients receiving air as an insufflation agent had better overall colonic distension than the group receiving CO2 and that this was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). There was no significant difference in the mean time taken to perform the examination in the two groups nor was there any significant difference in mucosal coating or preparation. In conclusion, our results suggest that poor colonic distension is a potential problem when CO2 is used for DCBE and that this cannot be solely attributed to the time taken to perform the examination. Poor distension could lead to diagnostic errors and this may outweigh the advantages in patient acceptability when using CO2 as an insufflation agent.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011029	Pneumoradiography	Radiography using air, oxygen, or some other gas as a contrast medium.	Air Radiography,Insufflation Radiography,Negative Contrast Radiography,Radiography, Insufflation,Contrast Radiography, Negative,Radiography, Air,Radiography, Negative Contrast,Air Radiographies,Contrast Radiographies, Negative,Insufflation Radiographies,Negative Contrast Radiographies,Pneumoradiographies,Radiographies, Air,Radiographies, Insufflation,Radiographies, Negative Contrast
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002245	Carbon Dioxide	A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals.	Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D003106	Colon	The segment of LARGE INTESTINE between the CECUM and the RECTUM. It includes the ASCENDING COLON; the TRANSVERSE COLON; the DESCENDING COLON; and the SIGMOID COLON.	Appendix Epiploica,Taenia Coli,Omental Appendices,Omental Appendix,Appendices, Omental,Appendix, Omental
D004311	Double-Blind Method	A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment.	Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D004733	Enema	Insertion of a solution or compound through the RECTUM with the purpose of cleansing the COLON or for diagnostic procedures.	Enemata,Enemas,Enematas
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man