Virtual colonoscopy is a new procedure that fuses computed tomography of the large bowel with advanced techniques for rendering three dimensional images to produce views of the colonic mucosa similar to those obtained during “real” colonoscopy. Preliminary results suggest that it surpasses barium enema and approaches the sensitivity of conventional colonoscopy. This review summarises the technical developments that have made virtual colonoscopy possible and describes the expected advantages of this exciting technique over conventional endoscopy and more traditional imaging methods. We describe its possible applications and outline further technical developments that can be expected in the near future.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Halligan et al. (1999) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: