Origins of the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver: A personal memoir.

The Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) (Association Canadienne Pour L'Étude Du Foie) is a thriving organization. Although it was established more than a quarter of a century ago and has been successful since the beginning, most members are unaware of how CASL came into being or of its humble origins as a precursor club in the 1970s. The present article reviews those early days.

Motion - computerized tomographic colography is a better method for screening for polyps: arguments against the motion.

Computerized tomographic (CT) colography is an exciting technique whereby images of the colonic wall and lumen can be obtained without colonoscopy. It is not as good as conventional colonoscopy, however, because of both inherent and performance limitations. Among the former is the inability to visualize subtle mucosal lesions, such as alterations in colour or pliability.

The IBS-36: a new quality of life measure for irritable bowel syndrome.

Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a quality of life instrument for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Methods: Using focus groups, existing questionnaires, and literature reviews, five IBS patients and nine gastroenterologists compiled and pilot tested for content validity a 70-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was then administered to 107 IBS patients, and using these data, the 70-item questionnaire was reduced to 36 questions through statistical and consensus methodology.