Why am I having a CT scan after a colonoscopy?

A CT colonography can help identify potentially cancerous areas in people who cannot have a colonoscopy because of other medical reasons. It’s less invasive than a colonoscopy, but you may still need to have colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy at a later stage so any abnormal areas can be removed or biopsied.

What can a colonography detect?

The major reason for doing CT colonography is to look for polyps or cancers in the colon or rectum. Polyps are small growths on the inside of your bowel. They are usually harmless but some polyps can develop into bowel cancer.

Why do I need a follow up appointment after colonoscopy?

Look for more polyps. If you have had polyps before, your doctor may recommend a follow-up colonoscopy to look for and remove any additional polyps. This is done to reduce your risk of colon cancer.

Is CT colonography painful?

The radiographer puts a small tube a few centimetres long into your back passage (rectum) to pump carbon dioxide or air inside. This opens the bowel, helping to get clear scans of the inside of your bowel. You may feel uncomfortable and bloated. Rarely, people have pain.

Is a Colonography painful?

The bottom line. Colonoscopies aren’t usually painful because most patients receive a sedative before the procedure starts. The sedative makes you so sleepy that you usually don’t feel or remember anything of the procedure.

How long is a negative colonoscopy good for?

The majority of screenees have negative findings at screening colonoscopy—that is, no polyps are detected. The time interval for repeat screening colonoscopy most commonly recommended by expert panels for this group is 10 years.

Does a colonography hurt?

What happens after CT colonography?

You may have some bloating or pain in your tummy (abdomen) after the test. This is due to the carbon dioxide or air put into the bowel. This should go away shortly afterwards. There is a small risk of a tear (perforation) in your bowel.

Why is colonoscopy only every 10 years?

Experts say the longer wait can work if the colonoscopy was a high-quality test and the person has no family history of the disease. Other experts, however, say there is risk in waiting longer than 10 years because colonoscopies can miss polyps that can later turn into cancerous cells.

Does a negative screening colonoscopy ever need to be repeated?

Are you sedated for a CT Colonography?

A CT Colonography doesn’t require sedation and is just as accurate at detecting most precancerous polyps. For a traditional colonoscopy, a doctor inserts a flexible metal tube with a camera on the end into the colon through the rectum.

How painful is a CT colonography?

Most patients who have CT colonography report a feeling of fullness when the colon is inflated during the exam, as if they need to pass gas. Significant pain is uncommon, occurring in fewer than 5 percent of patients.