Panoramic endoscopy

A so-called flattening method can be used to straighten and flatten the colon mathematically. Beaulieu et al. (1999) evaluated a method called Panoramic endoscopy (Fig. 9.5). With this method the inner colonic surface is depicted as a flattened structure. The camera is rotated around the path in... 

In a comparative study of display methods for CT colonography with the use of simulated polyps of different size and morphology, panoramic endoscopy had a significantly higher sensitivity (90%) than bidirectional virtual endoscopy (68%) for polyps 7 mm or larger. Part of the difference could be explained by the invisibility of some lesions during bidirectional virtual endoscopy since this method does not visualize the complete colonic surface. 

Fig. 9.5. Panoramic endoscopy display. Reprinted with permission of Beaulieu et al.

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