Radiologic evaluation of colorectal cancer

The incidence of colorectal cancer of Korea is much lower than that of Western countries, but has shown a tendency to a slight increase recently. Barium enema is the most valuable, noninvasive and inexpensive method available to evaluate the size, shape and site of colorectal cancer. The authors reviewed and radiologically classified barium enema studies of 232 cases of colorectal cancer from Aug. 1967 to July 1982 at Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeonju, Confirmed clinically, operatively and pathologically. The results were as follows; 1. The ratio of male and female was 1.3:1, and youngest was 13 year-old and the oldest 86 year-old. 2. The peak incidence occurred from 5th to 7th decades, accounting for 78% of all cases (181/232), and there was a relatively high incidence of the disease in patients below 30 years of age at 7.8% (18/232). 3. Rectum and rectosigmoid region are the most frequently involved regions (127/232:54.8%). 4. The positivity of barium enema examination was 4.0% (232/5807), and its accuracy was 96.5% (224/232). 5. The radiologic findings were classified into 4 groups, and they were annular encircling 62.9% (146/232). polypoid fungating 26.8% (62/232), infiltrating 8.6% (20/232), and primary ulcerating 1.7% (4/232) in order of frequency. 6. The linear length of the cancer ranged from 1.5 Cm to 15 Cm, and the average length was 5.5 Cm. 7. There was no statistical correlation between the length of lesion, the site, and the radiologic findings, and stages of the lesion (P:0.750-0.250). 8. The majority of colorectal cancers was adenocarcinoma (217/232:93.6%)