Research radiologists at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated the details and accuracy of colon imaging, i.e. colonography or virtual colonoscopy with no laxatives during preparation and having it compared with the traditional colonoscopy. Clear guidelines based on evidence have been set and suggests that all men and women with low risks get screened for colon cancer at age 50 with a colonoscopy. If this study turns out to be normal, there has been a directive that it should be repeated once in every 10 years. When one hits the age of 80 years, routine colonoscopies screening are discontinued.

Why people avoid colon cancer screening

It is absolutely clear that these screening colonoscopies can save lives by preventing colon cancer. It is also true that laxative given the day before for cleaning you out and the actual screening procedure are the two top reasons that discourage people from considering colon cancer cleaning.  In a recent study, the directors gave their patients low fiber diet just before they conducted the scanning. Patients were given an oral contrasting material to drink which market stool feces to allow radiologists to easily distinguish retained stool and feces from colon abnormalities. The virtual colonography did quite an excellent job when it came to detecting adenomas of large colon of about 10 mm or the larger picking 91 percent of existing lesion compared to 95 percent with colonoscopy and traditional preparation. The small difference between 95 percent on colonoscopy involving traditional preparation and 91 percent on virtual colonography doesn’t really have a great statistical impact as such.

The study found that the virtual colonography performed relatively poorly when it came to its ability to detect growths that were smaller. According to the researchers, most of the polyps impacting on cancer and the survival outcomes are larger than 10 mm. Researchers continued to note that this laxative free method is highly likely to be worthwhile when used as a way of reaching many adults with strong aversion to the laxative bowel preparation that doesn’t require screening.

Should you go for colon screening?

Clearly, there is no doubt to the fact that going for screening is always much better than not going for screening. The free laxative virtual colonoscopy wasn’t good as such compared to traditional colonoscopy when it came to finding smaller lesions. Data used in the research study was largely based on experience and skills of only three radiologists. Studies undertaken previously have strongly stressed on the need of involving a more experienced radiologist when it comes to study interpretation. Researchers in this study never discussed radiation exposure, something, which is of great significance when it comes to virtual colonoscopy. In addition, they never mentioned the amount of money that the insurance company might not be paying at the time. Despite all this, it is essential that another tool is introduced for fighting colon cancer.