Virtual colonoscopies are less time-consuming than the standard colonoscopy and are now recommended as a frontline screening test by the American Cancer Society, but the technique has major drawbacks, according to a HealthDay News report.
For example, the approach, which combines X-ray and CT or MRI to create three-dimensional views of the full length of the colon, cannot take tissue samples or remove polyps.
Even so, major insurers like United Healthcare, CIGNA and some Blues plans have begun covering the virtual colonoscopy, and it has been touted as a way to test patients who would not go through a standard colonoscopy.
Related Articles on Virtual Colonoscopy:
Poll Finds Low Follow-up Screening Rates for Colon Cancer
Reimbursement for Virtual Colonoscopy May Vary By Region
Chicago Shows Greatest Regional Increase in Covered Virtual Colonoscopies