St Thomas hospital’s CT Colonography offers you an examination with supreme image quality and superior comfort, without requiring general anaesthetic and aggressive laxatives.
CT Colonography
CT Colonography is also known as the minimally invasive colonoscopy. Used to diagnose problems of the large intestine, it is the choice for those who want less hassle.
BENEFITS
Discover Clarity. Embrace Comfort.
SERVICE
Why do I need a Virtual Colonography?
Your doctor could refer you for a Virtual Colonography if you’ve noticed abnormal changes in bowel habits or for routine colon cancer screening. You are more likely to be referred to a Virtual Colonography if you have a family history of bowel cancer or a past history of polyps.
It is used by doctors to investigate new bowel habits such as, blood in stools, unexplained weight-loss, unresolved constipation or diarrhoea. Persons who do not tolerate anaesthetics and the laxatives required for colonoscopies are generally referred for this investigation.
During a Virtual Colonography your doctor gently inserts a thin and short tube into your bottom in order to introduce carbon dioxide your large intestine. Our CT scanner will then take around 600 images of your abdomen. The scanner produces a series of ‘fly through’ 3D images of your large intestine, allowing your radiologist to virtually view your entire large intestine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding CT Colonography
How do I prepare myself for a Colonoscopy?
Before your Virtual Colonography, you’ll also be provided a special iodine syrup to ingest and detailed information by our team about what you can eat and drink 3 days before.
This may include them advising you to transition to a liquid diet and eat more low fibre foods such as leafy vegetables.
Will I be in pain?
No, in fact it is one of the benefits of having a Virtual Colonography instead of a regular colonoscopy and no anaesthesia is required.
You can drive and return to your normal routine as soon as your examination is done.
How long does it take to get the result?
Your consultant will discuss what they’ve seen soon after your procedure is ready.
If any tissue samples or polyps are removed and sent to a laboratory your consultant will arrange a separate appointment to discuss the results of any tests carried out on these samples. These results are usually available within 5 working days.
Why choose St.Thomas?
We operate with the highest standards in endoscopy care, employing a team of expert endoscopists dedicated to the care of a very small number of patients, allowing us to focus more on you. We constantly invest in the latest endoscopy technology to provide our surgeons with exceptional tools to operate with and provide our clients a comfortable experience.
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