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Results
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor will review the results of the colonoscopy and then share the results with you.
- Negative result. A virtual colonoscopy is considered negative if the doctor doesn't find any abnormalities in the colon. If you're at average risk of colon cancer — you have no colon cancer risk factors other than age — your doctor may recommend repeating the exam in five years.
- Positive result. A virtual colonoscopy is considered positive if the images reveal any polyps or other abnormal tissue in the colon. Depending on the size and number of polyps, your doctor may recommend a traditional colonoscopy to obtain samples of the abnormal tissue or remove the polyps. In some cases, the traditional colonoscopy can be done the same day as the virtual colonoscopy — but you'll need someone to take you home afterward because a traditional colonoscopy is typically done under sedation.
If your doctor is concerned about the quality of the view obtained with virtual colonoscopy, a repeat virtual colonoscopy or another screening test may be recommended.
References
- Schilling McCann JA, ed. Diagnostic Tests. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007:106.
- Virtual colonoscopy. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/virtualcolonoscopy. Accessed March 18, 2009.
- Rockey DC. Computed tomographic colonography: Ready for prime time? Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2010;39:901.
- Levin B, et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps, 2008: A joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. Gastroenterology. 2008;134:1570.
- Colorectal cancer screening. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/guidelines_and_more/gl_os_prot/preventive_health_maintenance/colorectal_cancer_screening/colorectal_cancer_screening_6.html. Accessed May 2, 2011.
- Yee J. Patient preparation for CT colonography. In: Lefere P, ed. Virtual Colonoscopy: A Practical Guide. New York, N.Y.: Springer; 2006:23.
- Smith RA, et al. Cancer screening in the United States, 2011: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and issues in cancer screening. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2011;61:8.
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