There are several differences between a virtual colonoscopy and a traditional one.
Anesthesia.
While a traditional colonoscopy requires the use of sedation or anesthesia, a virtual colonoscopy does not. This means that there is no downtime involved, so patients may resume their daily activities immediately following the procedure.
Imaging tools.
A traditional colonoscopy involves looking inside your colon using a colonoscope, which is a camera attached to a long, flexible tube. Meanwhile, a virtual colonoscopy uses images from a CT scan, and the pictures are taken from outside your body.
Procedure length. While a traditional colonoscopy can take up to 90 minutes or longer, a virtual colonoscopy generally lasts around 15 minutes.