Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Results from a new study in Italy highlight the value of virtual colonoscopy for elderly patients, a population that has historically experienced a higher rate of failed procedures with optical colonoscopy.
Investigators from the University of Rome "La Sapienza" used virtual colonoscopy to image elderly patients who had failed conventional colonoscopy studies. The research was presented at the European Congress of Radiology earlier this month, and staff writer Eric Barnes was on hand to report for our Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community.
The study found that virtual colonoscopy was successful in almost all of the patients with incomplete colonoscopy, and in several cases VC identified additional lesions that weren't detected with conventional colonoscopy when it failed to reach the cecum. Patients also reported good tolerance of the virtual exam.
The study could help virtual colonoscopy carve out a niche as an alternative to colonoscopy in elderly patients or those with potential complicating factors such as diverticular disease. Read all about it by clicking here.
In another article we're featuring, U.S. researchers conducted a 10-year analysis of colon cancer patients and found that three risk factors can contribute to earlier onset of colon disease. They believe their findings could be used to create colon screening guidelines based on individual patient demographics, according to the article, which you can view by clicking here.
Find these stories and more by visiting the Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community at vc.auntminnie.com.
![Images show the pectoralis muscles of a healthy male individual who never smoked (age, 66 years; height, 178 cm; body mass index [BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 28.4; number of cigarette pack-years, 0; forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], 97.6% predicted; FEV1: forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio, 0.71; pectoralis muscle area [PMA], 59.4 cm2; pectoralis muscle volume [PMV], 764 cm3) and a male individual with a smoking history and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) (age, 66 years; height, 178 cm; BMI, 27.5; number of cigarette pack-years, 43.2, FEV1, 48% predicted; FEV1:FVC, 0.56; PMA, 35 cm2; PMV, 480.8 cm3) from the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease (i.e., CanCOLD) study. The CT image is shown in the axial plane. The PMV is automatically extracted using the developed deep learning model and overlayed onto the lungs for visual clarity.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/03/genkin.25LqljVF0y.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)