| Theme |
Tips and up-to-date of the medical therapy for ulcerative colitis |
| Title |
CT colonography in patients with ulcerative colitis |
| Author |
Ken Takeuchi |
Department of Internal Medicine, Sakura Medical Center, Toho University |
| Author |
Yasuo Suzuki |
Department of Internal Medicine, Sakura Medical Center, Toho University |
| [ Summary ] |
An estimated 180,000 patients were found to have ulcerative colitis (UC) in Japan in 2015. Moreover, an increasing number of elderly patients have been developing UC. The emergence of new drugs such as calcineurin inhibitors and biologics, and techniques such as cytapheresis, has added a new dimension to the treatment of UC. Appropriate selection of patient-specific treatment is essential to predict an accurate prognosis. The current treatment goal in UC is "mucosal healing," as defined endoscopically. CT colonography (CTC), which could help to determine the severity and extent of UC, could be as promising as endoscopy for disease monitoring. In addition, CTC shows superior safety and patient tolerability. Radiation exposure is the major concern of CTC；however, it could be resolved by using ultra-low-dose CT. |