Colonoscopy is most often used for high-risk diagnoses. This test is used to view the entire colon and allows the doctor to perform a biopsy or to remove polyps which may be present during the procedure. This is normally done in a hospital setting and the patient is given a sedative to relieve any discomfort. A relatively recent method of detection is somewhat quicker with less discomfort than the colonoscopy or barium x-ray. CT colography requires that air be injected into the colon for two minutes.
Images taken are ready for viewing within ten minutes.
The entire examination lasts only two mintues. This method uses a helical CT scanner and special software. This has been a remarkable breakthrough in diagnostic testing for this type of ailment. Most polyps can be removed during a coloscopy and need no surgery. In the early stages of the cancer, the portion of the colon containing the tumor is surgically removed.