CT Colonography peace of mind for less inconvience

Nelsonians now have access to an easier colon examination.

Since August last year, Nelson Radiology has been offering CT colonography with its high-tech $750,000 CT scanner.

Colonography is an alternative to a colonoscopy.  Both procedures examine the inside of the colon, looking for polyps which if left unchecked can be precancerous.  A screening colon examination is recommended for all adults, even those showing no symptoms, when they turn 50 and every five years thereafter, or at 40 if they have immediate family history of colon cancer.

While a colonoscopy is a visual inspection of the colon, using endoscopic equipment, colonography is achieved with a CT scanner which x-rays the body in cross-sections, or "slices", the digital images are then processed by sophisticated computer equipment that enables radiologists to perform a virtual 3-D visual inspection.  The life-like images that result on screen are dramatic in their clarity and detail.

Nelson Radiology's senior radiologist Dr Luke Newnham says colongraphy is just as successful in identifying polyps as colonoscopy.

"For most people colonography is an appropriate first procedure for screening for polyps, as only about ten per cent of the population have polyps who then require a colonoscopy for their removal."

Nelson Radiology's state-of-the-art computer workstation also features computer-aided detection, which complements the radiologists' visual assessments, contributing further accuracy to the examination report.

Colonography is less expensive than colonoscopy, takes less than half an hour and does not require post-examination recovery.  Unlike colonoscopy, sedation is not required so most people return to their normal day's activities immediately after the scan.  This can make colonography especially suitable for people with other medical conditions that make colonoscopy or the use of sedation hazardous.

"This also makes it more suitable for elderly or frail patients," says Dr Newnham.

"We applaud everyone who chooses a colon examination, no matter which alternative they opt for.  The main reason we have introduced colongraphy is the hope that is greater convenience will persuade more people to have an examination, as colon cancer is preventable by these means."

Nelson Radiology's CT Scanner presently operates in the Health @132 Medical Centre in Collingwood Street.  It will remain there until some time in 2012, when Nelson Radiology moves its entire practice into the Collingwood Centre, the new health centre at 105 Collingwood Street under development by a syndicate of Nelson medical practitioners.

For more information on CT Colonography please click here.