Print this page
 Email this page

 Connect with UMMC on:
 Twitter
 Facebook
 YouTube
iPhone

 Share this page:

Bookmark and Share

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

 

Video details

[ Flash player icon ] Please install flash player to see this video.

Hospital Virtual Tour

Click to take a virtual tour

Related Content


 

Virtual colonoscopy - Risks

Alternative Names

Colonoscopy - virtual; CT colonography

What the risks are:

  • Radiation exposure
  • The medications to prepare for the test can cause nausea, vomiting, bloating, or rectal irritation.

Special considerations:

Differences between virtual and conventional colonoscopy include:

  • Both procedures can spot polyps that have reached a large, worrisome size. However, virtual colonoscopy is not as detailed as a conventional colonoscopy, and may miss polyps smaller than 10 millimeters in diameter or flat lesions.
  • If a polyp is found with virtual colonoscopy, the patient must have a conventional colonoscopy to remove the abnormality. Conventional colonoscopy allows for the immediate removal of polyps.
  • Virtual colonoscopy can view the colon from many different angles. This is not easy with conventional colonoscopy.
  • Virtual colonoscopy uses no sedation, and patients are usually able to resume normal activities immediately after the test. Conventional colonoscopy involves sedation, and usually the loss of a work day.

Virtual colonoscopy is now one of the American Cancer Society's recommended screening tools for colon cancer.

  • Reviewed last on: 3/8/2008
  • Christian Stone, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Lieberman, D. Colonoscopy: as good as gold? Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:401-403.

Pickhardt P, et al. Location of adenomas missed by optical colonoscopy. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:352-359.

Rosman AS, Korsten MA. Meta-analysis comparing CT colonography, air contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy. Am J Med. 2007;120(3):203-210.e.4.

Van Dam J, et al. AGA future trends report: CT colonography. Gastroenterology. 2004;127:970-984.

Virtual colonoscopy. Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2005;47(1202):15-16.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com