Using high-resolution CT scanners to produce three-dimensional images of the colon, this revolutionary CT exam screens for polyps, colorectal cancer, and other diseases of the colon and bowel. This highly accurate, minimally-invasive procedure scans the colon, with images processed using reconstructive software that provides radiologists with a "virtual" tour through the entire colon. It is a fast, highly-accurate alternative to conventional colonoscopy.
As 90 percent of colorectal cancer cases occur in persons age 50 years or older, the virtual colonoscopy is recommended for all persons aged 40+. The American Cancer Society recommends subsequent screenings every 3-5 years thereafter, more often for those at high risk. Earlier exams are encouraged for persons with a family history of colon cancer, or other bowel diseases. Persons with inflammatory bowel disease, chronic ulcerative colitis, or with a high-fat and low-fiber diet are recommended for this screening as well.
Preparation:
Lower GI tract cleansing 24 hours prior
Telephone consult with nurse provided
Procedure time: 30 minutes
Why it's important
Although colon cancer is one of the most easily and effectively treated cancers when detected early, it is also the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, claiming nearly 60,000 deaths annually. This Silent Killer, as it is known, is the third most common cancer for men and women. Colon cancer typically begins in the form of non-cancerous polyps on the lining of the colon and although far less than half of Americans at risk for this disease get screened, early detection and removal of these polyps remains the most effective way to virtually eliminate the risk of colon cancer.