Projected impact of colorectal cancer screening with computerized tomographic colonography on current radiological capacity in Europe

Summary Background The impact of a primary colorectal cancer screening with computerized tomographic colonography on current radiological capacity is unknown. The multispecialty needs for computerized tomographic examinations raise some doubts on the feasibility of a mass colorectal cancer screening with computerized tomographic colonography. Aim To assess whether the number of available computerized tomographic units in Europe is adequate to cover population screening with computerized tomographic colonography. Methods A mathematical and a Markov model were, respectively, used to assess the number of computerized tomographic colonography procedures needed to be performed each day in the start‐up and in the steady‐state phases of a colorectal cancer screening programme in Europe. Such outcome was divided for the total number of computerized tomographic machines aged