Virtual Colonoscopy CT

CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) providing a non-invasive 3D visualisation of the entire colon and rectum using low-dose CT with specialised software. The scan detects polyps, masses, and structural abnormalities without sedation, endoscope insertion, or the recovery time associated with optical colonoscopy.

CT colonography acquires thin-slice images of the abdomen and pelvis with the colon distended by air or carbon dioxide insufflation, then reconstructs a 3D endoluminal fly-through that simulates the view an endoscopist would see during optical colonoscopy. The technique has been validated in large multicentre trials as having sensitivity above 90% for polyps 10 mm and larger — the size threshold at which clinical guidelines recommend polypectomy. The examination at HELIMED requires dietary preparation and bowel cleansing similar to (but often less intensive than) preparation for optical colonoscopy. On the day of the scan, a small rectal catheter is placed and the colon is gently inflated with air. Two acquisitions are performed — one supine, one prone — to redistribute residual fluid and improve visualisation of all colonic segments. Total scan time is approximately 15 minutes, and the patient can leave immediately afterwards without a recovery period. The radiologist reviews both 2D axial images and the 3D endoluminal reconstructions, reporting polyp size, location, and morphology. Extra-colonic findings (incidental renal, hepatic, aortic, or adrenal abnormalities) are documented as they fall within the scan field. CT colonography is particularly valuable for patients who cannot tolerate sedation, are on anticoagulant therapy that makes polypectomy risky, or have had incomplete optical colonoscopy due to tortuous anatomy.