Virtual colonoscopy

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Why it's done

By Mayo Clinic staff

Virtual colonoscopy is used to screen for colon cancer.

Because virtual colonoscopy involves the entire abdominal and pelvic area, problems unrelated to colon cancer — such as an aortic aneurysm in the abdominal area or a tumor in the kidney, liver, pancreas or spleen — could potentially be found as well.

References
  1. Schilling McCann JA, ed. Diagnostic Tests. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007:106.
  2. Virtual colonoscopy. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/virtualcolonoscopy. Accessed March 18, 2009.
  3. Rockey DC. Computed tomographic colonography: Ready for prime time? Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2010;39:901.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Yee J. Patient preparation for CT colonography. In: Lefere P, ed. Virtual Colonoscopy: A Practical Guide. New York, N.Y.: Springer; 2006:23.
  7. 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.
MY00624 June 18, 2011

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