Virtual colonoscopy - technique and applications

Virtual colonoscopy is a new method for evaluating the colon which uses thi n section computed tomography of the clean air distened colon. The acquired computed tomography data is then subjected to computer manipulation to dem onstrate the colonic mucosa. It is a safe, non-invasive, well-tolerated met hod that has potential as a method of colorectal cancer screening. This rev iew will describe the technique, review preliminary results, and discuss th e present and future applications of this technique.