Will virtual colonoscopy replace colonoscopy?

This three-dimensional CT scan has not lived up to initial hopes in terms of sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. It is expensive and results in significant radiation exposure that cannot be repeated every 2-3 years.

It fails to detect 14-19 % of lesions and, as it is only a diagnostic test, it is not possible to take histological samples from the lesions detected or to remove polyps, so conventional mirroring must be performed.

The current professional recommendation is that the safest method of screening for colorectal cancer is colonoscopy, which is unpleasant and sometimes painful, but if the procedure is performed under anaesthesia with the help of an anaesthetist, the pain of the test can be avoided.