ESGE HEADLINE NEWS N°1

Virtual Colonoscopy :
A new tool in the prevention of colorectal cancer

R Lambert

Synopsis

Until now radiological imaging is acknowledged as a helpful complement when colonoscopy is not possible or incomplete. Nowadays, the reliability of virtual colonoscopy with 2D and 3D images in Computed Tomography or Magnetic Resonance, increases with the rapid progression of dedicated softwares. At the end of 2003, a group led by Perry J. Pickardt produced evidence that virtual colonoscopy performed in a 3D analysis with electronic substraction of solid and liquid residuals is a viable screening method for colorectal neoplastic lesions. Meanwhile, optical colonoscopy is still the optimal procedure to detect flat neoplastic lesions. The availability of a new screening test is good because the efficacy of screening relates to the large coverage of the target. Considering acceptance by the person, the alternative is between optical colonoscopy for all or virtual colonoscopy followed by optical colonoscopy in some patients.

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