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Virtual Colonoscopy May Replace
Traditional Colon Cancer Exam

Computers and X-rays may soon be used to search for signs of colon cancer, which could be a welcome option for those who dread the traditional scope exam.

Two of the largest studies yet on “virtual colonoscopy” show the experimental technique, which produces two and three-dimensional images and displays them on a screen, work as well at spotting potentially cancerous growths as the more invasive method. The procedure, which is used to diagnose colon and bowel disease, including polyps, diverticulosis, and cancer, is also faster and less expensive than the conventional scope exam.

Colonoscopies are typically recommended for everyone over the age of 50, though just about 50% of the population gets tested. Medical professionals and proponents of the virtual screening method hope the newer form of testing will lure those who may have initially avoided conventional screening methods. Colon cancer is the nation’s second leading cause of cancer deaths, and an estimated 52,000 will die from it this year.

One study showed that only 8 percent of patients who were tested utilizing the “virtual colonoscopy” method required a follow-up traditional colonoscopy, which are done under sedation and carry a small risk of puncturing the bowel.

Virtual colonoscopies involve the patient lying on their back on a table, which is then moved through a scanner to produce a series of two-dimensional cross-sections along the length of the colon. A computer program puts these images together to create a three-dimensional picture that can be viewed on a video screen or monitor.

After the exam, the information from the scanner must be processed to create the computer image of the colon. A radiologist then evaluates the results to identify any abnormalities.

This provides a clearer, more detailed image than a conventional x-ray using a barium enema. The virtual colonoscopy also takes about 10 minutes and does not necessitate the use of sedatives, allowing the patient to resume normal activity after the procedure. Pain medication and a mild sedative are required for conventional colonoscopies, and the procedure normally takes 30-60 minutes to complete.

However, the doctor cannot take tissue samples or remove polyps during a virtual colonoscopy, so a conventional colonoscopy is required if abnormalities are found. Also, virtual colonoscopies do not show as much detail as the conventional exam, so polyps smaller that 10 millimeters in diameter may not show up on images. If an abnormality is detected during the latter, the doctor can remove it or take tissue samples immediately using tiny instruments passed through the colonoscope.

Although the virtual colonoscopy is faster, cheaper, and less invasive than current methods, one aspect, considered the most unpleasant part of the exam, is inescapable: oral laxatives are required prior to both exams to purge the bowel so growths can be seen.