Could virtual colonoscopy reduce polypectomies?

Dear AuntMinnie Member,

Could virtual colonoscopy help clinicians reduce the number of polypectomies by focusing on only the polyps that are likely to progress to cancer? That's the implication of a new study we're highlighting in our Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community.

U.S. researchers reaffirmed that virtual colonoscopy is good at finding those polyps that are most likely to develop into adenocarcinoma. The larger polyps were also the most histologically advanced, according to the article by staff writer Eric Barnes.

The results are important because virtual colonoscopy historically has had a difficult time finding the smallest polyps that are more easily detected and removed with optical colonoscopy. Implementing a follow-up algorithm that rescreens patients with smaller lesions at virtual colonoscopy could be less invasive, less risky, and result in better patient compliance, according to the researchers.

Read the story, and find out how the researchers got the gastroenterologists at their facility on board with the rescreening protocol, by clicking here. Or get the rest of the news in the world of VC by visiting our Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community at vc.auntminnie.com.