About Virtual Colonoscopy
Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer in the United States today. More than 90% of the deaths could be prevented by detection and removal of precancerous polyps and early cancers. Virtual Colonoscopy is a new method to find polyps and cancers in the large intestine (colon and rectum).
Virtual Colonoscopy is a sophisticated technique using a combination of a computed tomography (CT) scanner, powerful digital processing, virtual reality computer software, and a computer workstation to look inside the body without having to insert a long tube into the colon (conventional colonoscopy) or having to fill the colon with liquid barium (barium enema). For receiving a total colon evaluation, most patients report that Virtual Colonoscopy is more acceptable to them than either conventional colonoscopy or a barium enema.
Virtual Colonoscopy is a less invasive, safer, less costly, and more comfortable procedure than conventional colonoscopy. For colorectal cancer screening, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that Virtual Colonoscopy done with the same software and hardware used in the University of Virginia Health System is as accurate as conventional colonoscopy for finding cancers and significant polyps. Worldwide, bowel perforation or other significant complications are about 20 times less likely than with standard colonoscopy. No sedation is required, and the person can drive home or return to work immediately afterward. The examination takes less than 30 minutes, as opposed to conventional colonoscopy, which may take up to 2 hours counting recovery time from sedation.
If a significant polyp is found during Virtual Colonoscopy, conventional colonoscopy will be required for biopsy or removal of the polyp.However, conventional colonoscopy is necessary in less than 1/3 of patients who undergo Virtual Colonoscopy screening.
Because Virtual Colonoscopy is a new technology that was only recently validated as a good screening test for colorectal cancer, Medicare and most other health insurance plans pay for it for the following medical indications:
- For patients in whom a standard colonoscopy was incomplete due to an inability to advance the colonoscope through the large intestine for any of a variety of reasons.
- For preoperative cancer staging.
- For patients in whom standard colonoscopy is contraindicated for reasons such as:
- Coagulopathy (bleeding disorder)
- Anticoagulation therapy with increased risk to patient if discontinued
- Increased sedation risk
- Acute diverticulitis or severe chronic diverticulosis
- Complications from a previous standard colonoscopy
- Bowel obstruction
Unfortunately, at the present time, a healthy person without symptoms must pay for Screening Virtual Colonoscopy up front and out-of-pocket.