Computed tomography hydroenema as a diagnostic alternative for colon tumors

Introduction: colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. The first-line detection method is colonoscopy; however, colon examination by computed tomography with hydroenema and intravenous contrast technique is a useful method for detecting the disease. Objective: to assess the usefulness of computed tomography with water enema and intravenous contrast for the diagnosis of colon tumors. Method: an observational, descriptive study was carried out, which included all patients operated on for colon cancer, diagnosed by computed axial tomography with water enema and intravenous contrast at the National Center for Minimal Access Surgery, between March 2022 and February 2025. Results: of the 21 patients included, eleven had tumor location in the rectum, with predominance over the other segments studied. Lesions measuring 2 to 4 cm predominated, in accordance with the results of colonoscopies, pathological anatomy and surgery. Regarding the degree of infiltration, the results of pathological anatomy and hydroenema behaved in a similar way, with the highest number of infiltrations up to fat (T4) and in relation to metastatic lymph nodes, both studies coincided with eleven patients who presented lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: the application of the study of computed axial tomography with water enema and intravenous contrast is a useful method for the diagnosis of tumor lesions, through which it is possible to determine the stage of the disease.