Virtual Colon

....and do you think it's effective way to screen if there are any problems in the colon? (What are the chances of it missing a problem compared to the standard colonoscopy?)

Also, please tell me the prep before doing a virtual colonoscopy; do you still have to drink lots of that nasty drink and not eat for a day before?

Love your new avatar
(liked the old one too!)

My father had one or a few, the last time he was so drugged up, I don't think it bothered him much--mind you he had a high pain threshold and could be quite stoic.

Hope yours go well and they find nuthin'.
:-)

2009-05-02 11:36:02 by pinkeh

Colon cancer can be cured if it and pre-cancerous polyps are caught early. But doctors at Mayo Clinic say only half of all people at risk of colon ...

My best friend's doctor recommended she go for an optical colonoscopy. I've heard way too many horror stories of Dr's in the Tampa FL area perforating the patient's colon during this exam and they've almost died....some HAVE died, only to find out that 96% of the patients had nothing wrong with them to begin with. I know insurance probably won't pay for this test because it's cheaper, non invasive, more accurate and alot less stressful for the patient and requires no sedation or lost time from work....(why should the patient be considered when all insurance companies are out for is to make as much money as they possibly can, right?) I need help here, I don't want to see my best friend die or be injured by some intern that doesn't know what he's doing. Please help!!!

Your information is incorrect. Virtual colonoscopy cannot detect small polyps - they have to be 1 cm in size, which is a HUGE polyp. We routinely remove polyps that are the size of a pinhead.

ACTUAL colonoscopy can also visualize areas of inflammation, and biopsy those sites. Diverticular disease in its earliest stages can also be detected.

If a virtual colonoscopy DOES detect a lesion, you then need a real colonoscopy to take out the polyp.

It's true that there are risks associated with colonoscopy, but those are rare if you follow the directions given to you, and use a Board certified gastroenterologist. Perforation is about 1 in 10,000 cases, and the ones I have seen have usually been frail elderly people.

A negative virtual colonoscopy will give you a false sense of security - you could be full of small polyps and not know it. But it's your body, so do what you want.

2007-10-08 07:52:07 by serialmom12

Price: $5.95 $5.95

I am reading a medical artical about vertual colonoscopy and I will put it in exact words. The PC-based visualization software employes volume rendering and allows the user to interactivly navigate through the virtual colon. What do they mean by volume rendering?

Volume rendering means that it is not simply a 2D picture. You can move through it as though it was a real 3D object.

2008-12-27 03:49:11 by New Victor

Price: $239.00

I am reading a medical artical about vertual colonoscopy and I will put it in exact words. "The PC-based visualization software employes volume rendering and allows the user to interactivly navigate through the virtual colon." What do they mean by volume rendering?

When a CT virtual colonoscopy is performed, the data acquired has to be put through some very hefty mathematical computations so that the lining of the colon can be studied in a manner than attempts to mimic the true colonoscopy (the gold standard). Volume rendering is simply a term used to describe how the computer algorithm goes about optimizing the image for proper diagnosis and to have a sense of the size and character of lesions detected.

2008-12-27 02:46:46 by New Victor

I am reading a medical artical about vertual colonoscopy and I will put it in exact words. The PC-based visualization software employes volume rendering and allows the user to interactivly navigate through the virtual colon. What do they mean by volume rendering?
I hope that I am asking this in the right section. It is understanding word usage and it deals with medicine so I am at a junction and felt this may be the best place to ask. Thank you for your help.

if only there was a way of looking up definitions on the internet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volume_rend ering

2008-12-27 02:35:13 by New Victor