Virtual colonoscopy

The doctor can raise you to lie on your back on a table. You'll be asked to hold your breath during the scan to avoid distortion on the images. While preparations for VC vary, you will usually be asked to take laxatives or alternative oral agents at home the day before the procedure to clear stool from your colon.  You will conjointly be asked to use a suppository to cleanse your rectum of any remaining fecal matter. VC is more comfortable than conventional colonoscopy for some folks as a result of it does not use a colonoscopy.  As a result, no sedation is needed, and you can come to your usual activities or go home after the procedure while not the help of another person.  VC provides clearer, additional detailed images than a typical x ray using a barium enema, typically referred to as a lower gastrointestinal (GI) series.  It also takes less time than either a conventional colonoscopy or a lower GI series. VC takes place in the radiology department of a hospital or medical center. The examination takes about 10 minutes and will not require sedatives.  Throughout the procedure, After the examination, the information from the scanner must be processed to create the computer picture or image of your colon.  A radiologist evaluates the results to identify any abnormalities. Virtual colonoscopy (VC) (or Computerized Topographic Chronography (CTC)) uses x rays and computers to produce 2- and three-dimensional images of the colon (giant intestine) from the lowest half, the rectum, all the method to the lower end of the little intestine and display them on a screen. The procedure is employed to diagnose colon and bowel disease, together with polyps, diverticulitis, and cancer.  VC will be performed with computed tomography (CT), generally referred to as a CAT scan, or with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).|Disadvantages of Virtual Colonoscopy  A skinny tube will be inserted into your rectum, and air will be pumped through the tube to inflate the colon for better viewing. In a standard colonoscopy, the doctor inserts a colonoscopy  a long, versatile, lighted tube into the patient's rectum and slowly guides it up through the colon. Pain medication and a gentle sedative facilitate the patient keep relaxed and comfy throughout the thirty- to sixty-minute procedure. A small camera within the scope transmits a picture of the lining of the colon, thus the doctor can examine it on a video monitor.  If an abnormality is detected, the doctor can remove it or take tissue samples using tiny instruments seasoned the scope. The doctor cannot take tissue samples or remove polyps during VC, so a standard colonoscopy should be performed if abnormalities are found.  Conjointly, VC will not show as abundant detail as a standard colonoscopy, therefore polyps smaller than ten millimeters in diameter could not show up on the images. The scanning procedure is then repeated with you lying on your abdomen. Advantages of Virtual Colonoscopy  Standard Colonoscopy  Virtual Colonoscopy  Virtual Colonoscopy Procedure The table moves through the scanner to produce a series of two-dimensional cross-sections along the length of the colon.  A computer program puts these pictures along to form a 3-dimensional image which will be viewed on the video screen. You will resume traditional activity once the procedure, though your doctor could raise you to attend whereas the take a look at results are analyzed.  If abnormalities are found and you wish standard colonoscopy, it could be performed the identical day.