Been there. Done that.

Kudos to you, if what you’ve done is to be screened for colon cancer.

But if you’ve been putting off screening because you just can’t bring yourself to undergo a colonoscopy, then Pratt Regional Medical Center offers another option you might find less objectionable: virtual colonoscopy.

Unfortunately, less than half of all people who should be screened for colon cancer actually get tested, reports the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

One problem is that colonoscopy—the gold standard for colon cancer screening—is sometimes a hard sell, despite its proven ability to save lives.

To perform one, doctors guide a thin lighted tube through the colon. Before the screening, patients must cleanse their bowels. And during it, they must be sedated.

Given all this, it’s not surprising that an alternative to traditional colonoscopy is attracting lots of attention.

Here’s how virtual colonoscopy works:
Rather than placing a tube through the colon to spot growths, virtual colonoscopy uses CT scans—a noninvasive imaging technique—to provide a view of the colon. And unlike a standard colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy does not require sedation, so patients can drive themselves home after the procedure or even return to work.

In addition, a virtual colonoscopy only takes about half as long to perform as a conventional one.

Still another plus: Because virtual colonoscopy uses CT imaging, it avoids the low but real risk of puncturing the colon that may occur during a traditional colonoscopy.

There’s hope, in fact, that this new type of colonoscopy will spur more Americans to get screened for colon cancer, one of the deadliest cancers in the United States.

Screening is important because most colon cancers arise from polyps—precancerous growths that protrude from the inner wall of the colon or rectum. Detecting polyps with screening—and then removing them—can prevent colon cancer from ever developing.

A closer look
No screening test is ideal, however, and virtual colonoscopy does have some drawbacks. According to the American Medical Association, the RSNA and other sources:

• Virtual colonoscopy still requires a complete bowel cleansing with laxatives beforehand.
• While doctors can take tissue samples and surgically remove any polyps they discover during a conventional colonoscopy, this is not true for a virtual colonoscopy. A virtual colonoscopy is used strictly for detection; any polyps it finds must then be removed with a conventional colonoscopy.
• Some studies have shown virtual colonoscopy to be almost as effective as its conventional counterpart in detecting large polyps—those with the greatest potential for becoming cancerous. Still, it may not be as effective at picking up small polyps.
• Some people report slight abdominal cramping during a virtual colonoscopy. That’s because they’re not sedated and air must be pumped through a small tube inserted in the rectum to inflate the colon for better viewing.

For more information about both types of colonoscopy, contact Dan J. Suiter, M.D. at 620-672-7417 or visit the Web site of the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov.

And in the meantime, remember that you’re at risk for colon cancer and should be screened for this largely preventable disease if you’re over 50, have had polyps in the past or have a family history of colon cancer.

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