Here's What to Expect at Your Upcoming Virtual Colonoscopy

Your colon is part of your digestive tract near the end of the process that drains the fluids from what you eat and converts it to fecal matter, eliminating it through your rectum and anus. Food is churned and moved forward against the mucus lining of this section of your intestine, secreting mucus to bind the waste as it dehydrates.

Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer, is a widespread disease that affects millions. A combination of lifestyle choices (smoking and alcohol abuse), a diet of fatty foods, and inactivity can increase your risk of getting it. Screening for illnesses like this becomes more important every year, and a virtual colonoscopy can help get a diagnosis.

Dr. Rajesh Mehta and his team at LoneStar Gastroenterology in Austin, Texas, can perform screenings like virtual colonoscopies and other medical imaging for those at risk for colon cancer.

What is a virtual colonoscopy?

This form of colon cancer screening is a computed tomography (CT) colonography that creates multiple images of your digestive organs to look for signs of abnormalities in your colon, possibly indicating cancer. It takes images in cross-sections compiled to generate a vision to form a diagnosis. People should get this test if they are at least 45 years old and at average risk for this disease, resistant to getting a colonoscopy, have side effects from it, or have a bowel blockage.

How does the process work?

Here’s what to expect from getting a virtual colonoscopy:

Prescreening

Before getting this test, you still need to prepare as if you were getting a regular colonoscopy, so take the bowel prep to empty your colon, limiting your diet to clear liquids. Just before it starts, you receive a contrast to help the inside of your colon appear clearly in the images.

The procedure

A thin tube gets placed into your rectum to fill your colon with air, and you lie face-up on the table that goes into the CT scanner. It’s operated remotely, and you are communicating with the tech performing the test. The table gets moved into the scanner, which emits whirring and clicking noises. You may also need to hold your breath briefly. You may also have to lie face-down if we need more information.

Post-procedure

Once everything is complete, you can go home and return to regular activities and normal eating. Once the results are in, we make an appointment to review them. The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.

What do the results mean?

To get the results, we look for evidence of abnormalities like polyps or other unusual findings, and if nothing is present, the test is negative and shows no signs of colon cancer. However, if there are uncommon findings, the test is positive. This reading means we need to do more tests to confirm the findings, which may include a traditional colonoscopy, depending on the situation. 

Detecting signs of cancer is critical for long-term health, so be sure to get your colonoscopy screenings. When you’re ready, make an appointment with Dr. Mehta and LoneStar Gastroenterology to maintain your colon health.