Virtual colonoscopy at Nefrocenter Diagnostica

Virtual colonoscopy at Nefrocenter Diagnostica. CT colonography, another name used for virtual colonoscopy, is a test that studies the walls of the intestine and helps find out whether there are any lesions or diseases. It is a noninvasive test that produces three-dimensional images and is not painful. Unlike classic colonoscopy, which uses a flexible optical probe, it is not an endoscopic examination.

For the most accurate result possible, it is essential to use very high-quality equipment and to rely on the experience and skill of the health care professionals who perform the test. These are elements that Nefrocenter Diagnostica focuses on considerably. In fact, images may appear abnormal because they show fecal residue rather than lesions, so the skill of the doctors is decisive in making the diagnosis. The colon, in fact, can have tumors, polyps and diverticula.

Virtual colonoscopy at Nefrocenter Diagnostica: how it is performed

To perform the test, gas must be introduced through a rectal tube. Dual-scan CT images are obtained, which help determine whether there are any lesions. Not everyone can undergo classic colonoscopy, and not everyone wants to, because they consider it an invasive test.

There are various reasons why patients cannot tolerate traditional colonoscopy. There are also conditions for which virtual colonoscopy is required or recommended.

CT colonography is essential, for example, to assess the extracolonic spread of a colon tumor, and to plan the procedure needed to remove or reduce the neoplasm

Virtual colonoscopy is also used when the patient has dolichocolon, that is, a considerable lengthening of the organ. It should also be avoided where there are strictures, that is, post-surgical or mechanical adhesions. Another obstacle can be the presence of cardiovascular or blood clotting disorders, which are usually found in elderly or frail patients.

In screening for colorectal cancer, in symptomatic patients, CT colonography is performed.

Patient preparation

For a virtual colonoscopy, the patient’s bowel needs to be “clean.” Certain substances help with cleansing, supported above all by a diet that eliminates waste. The doctor usually prescribes a laxative in small doses, and a specific diet must be followed for 3 days. Bowel distension is achieved by administering a drug intravenously, which helps carry out the diagnostic test, performed in two stages. However, the use of a contrast agent is not always required; it is at the radiologist’s discretion.

Virtual colonoscopy is not always appropriate

There are cases in which CT colonography is not appropriate and it is advisable to proceed with classic colonoscopy. One such case is when the test needs to be done on pregnant women. Patients with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammation of the intestine, must also undergo the invasive test. The same applies to those with ulcerative colitis. In patients who have a recurrence because of polyps in the intestine, it is advisable to proceed with traditional colonoscopy because the polyp itself can be removed and a biopsy performed afterward. Anyone who has had a full colonoscopy in the previous 3 years cannot have the virtual test.