Is computed tomographic colonography being held to a higher standard?

Abstract

Recent guidelines for colorectal cancer screening have reached different conclusions on whether computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is an acceptable screening option, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently decided not to cover CTC screening. The rationale against recommending or covering CTC screening includes concerns about radiation exposure, false-negative rates for small polyps, the discovery of extracolonic findings, variability in performance, a lack of targeted studies, a higher adenoma rate in the Medicare-eligible age group, and an absence of evidence that covering CTC would increase overall screening rates. Similar concerns can be raised for other recommended and covered colon cancer screening tests, but it seems that CTC is being held to a new and higher standard.