Colon Cancer Symptoms

Colorectal cancer is nearly 50,000 lives this year and is the second biggest killer of our country. The screening is available, but there is a considerable effort is required in terms of preparation and time required for testing. For most people, the recommendation of your first colonoscopy at age 50, but may be earlier if you have risk factors for colon cancer or have noted the possible symptoms of colon cancer.

If you've heard horror stories about the colonoscopy, the test used today to detect cancers of the colon, new technologies may just prevent you from being someone who can tell them. There is a new alternative to X-ray is currently being studied by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) National CT Colonography Trial and shows the most effective way to detect cancer.

The long-awaited study involved 15 medical centers across the United States and against the accuracy of CT colonography to colonoscopy, the current gold standard for diagnosis of colon cancer. The results of this study were published in the September 18, 2008, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

A virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography technically called) is cheaper, less intrusive 'super' X-ray used to screen for colon cancer. The new test was able to take nine out of ten people who had large growths or cancers detected by colonoscopy also traditional. Among the false positives detected by the new type of scanning, one in four has proven to be correct.

The detection of new words still contains preparations for cleaning the colon with laxatives or suppositories, as you do today. You then go to a hospital radiology department to the test, which takes about 10 minutes (compared to 30-60 minutes for colonoscopy). First you have on your back and a thin tube is inserted into the rectum, air pumped into the table, then moved when the scanner, taking pictures all the time. You can then go through the scanner again, this time lying on his stomach. After two scans, a computer processes the images to create an image of your lower gut.

Unfortunately, radiologists can more easily misinterpreted virtual colonoscopy. Polyps can be identified that are not there, which can lead to unnecessary follow-up treatment and terrible anxiety of the threat of a serious health problem. However, sometimes the test takes other circumstances outside the colon, which would not come to light which must be addressed or investigated.

Another concern is the amount of radiation you are exposed to during the test. The dose is half that of a standard CT scan, but experts worry that this means of exposure over time. Especially since this new test should be conducted every five years, as opposed to every ten years for traditional screening colon.
The new "virtual colonoscopy" seems to have the most value to get people in the screening and identification that may need further monitoring. And early detection of colon cancer symptoms do save lives.