This section of the newsletter will be devoted to answering questions and sharing information from our readers. Questions received will be published in the newsletter. We also encourage our readers who may have personal experience dealing with those issues to respond to questions. These responses will be published as well in the following issue of the newsletter. Question and Answer will also allow interested individuals to network with other families, to find a pen pal or learn about resources in your area. You do not need to include your name. Please send any questions or responses to:

Question and Answer c/o Wendy Kohlmann, M.S.
Department of Behavioral Science, Box 243 M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, TX 77030 wsternit@mdanderson.org

I have heard things in the news about a new virtual colonoscopy. What is this?
Tired of Colonoscopies

Many people are interested in learning about possible alternatives to traditional methods of colon cancer screening. Currently, colon screening is recommended for every American over the age of 50 but only about 1.5 million colonoscopies are performed every year. Why is the turnout so poor? Let's face it, colonoscopies are neither pleasant nor cheap. Researchers have been working on developing a new technique that they hope can some day replace the conventional colonoscopy.

Virtual colonoscopy involves creating an image of the colon using a computed tomography (CT) scan. Prior to virtual colonoscopy, the normal colonoscopy preparation still needs to be done to clean out the colon. The first step in virtual colonoscopy is to inflate the colon with air. This helps make the colon easier to exam, but may cause some discomfort. Then the patient lies down on the CT scan table for a few minutes while a scan of the abdomen is taken on all sides. A computer then reconstructs the images into a 3-D model, which can take 30-45 minutes, but allows doctors to "fly" through your colon.

There are some disadvantages to virtual colonoscopy. The cleansing of the colon, like with conventional colonoscopy, must still be performed. Also, very few centers have the necessary type of CT table. The main drawback is that this technology is still very much in the research phase. Recent data from a study involving side-by-side comparisons with conventional colonoscopy revealed that the virtual colonoscopy is less sensitive to polyps less than 6 millimeters in size. Even large (10millimeters) polyps can be missed by virtual colonoscopies, especially if they are flat and located in the right colon. If a polyp is found via virtual colonoscopy, a conventional colonoscopy must still be performed in order to biopsy the polyp. The current prediction is that virtual colonoscopy will eventually be used for the general population, but additional research will be needed to determine how effective this screening method is for people at high risk for colon cancer. The take-home message is that we are still years away from perfecting this technology, so do not put off your colonoscopy.

Saleen Chenevert, B.S.

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