Polyp surveillance risk may be low

Dear AuntMinnie Member,

Opening day of the International Symposium on Virtual Colonoscopy in Boston always offers some interesting study results.

The National CT Colonography Trial (ACRIN 6664) will be wrapping up by November, having nearly finished recruiting its 2,300 screening subjects. Another group reported a simple technique to reduce pain during bowel insufflation, while a third found less pain overall when using automated CO2 insufflation as compared to room air. You'll hear more about these studies later.

Today's VC story features an opening-day discussion by Dr. David Ransohoff, gastroenterologist and professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. For virtual colonoscopy, which polyp sizes in which regions can safely be followed up rather than removed is a crucial question.

Whatever the answer, Ransohoff suggests, it may be too important to be left in the hands of folks with an economic interest in the outcome. Click here for the details, or visit our Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community. And be sure to check back Wednesday for more coverage from the meeting.