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New test offers hope for easier colon screening

Use of dye in scan skips the laxative, still shows polyps

By Deborah Kotz

 |  Globe Staff  

  May 15, 2012

A new method of performing virtual colonoscopy using a CT scan - which doesn’t involve the dreaded laxative preparation to clear the colon the night before - may be about as effective as a standard colonoscopy at identifying the large polyps most likely to become cancerous, according to new research. If the finding is confirmed, the technique could eventually serve as a first-line screening tool for colon cancer, especially for the many people who avoid screening altogether.

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