Replies to post #53190 on Biotech Values

[bobrmd]

And the prep is the same. Thats the fun part. So although virtual colonoscopy sounds sexy, it is still a pain in the a.. .Colonoscopy is still the gold standard and if something is found it could be dealt with then instead of going through the whole processs again. Its true that virtual colonoscopy is user dependent too. Barium enema is still around also. If you get a colonoscopy there was an interesting article publshed in NEJM a year or two ago that said the longer the time it takes to perform one the better off you are. That procedure is user dependent also.

[iwfal]

I am hopeful chronic low level radiation is somehow a life extender ....

Probably (bizarrely) true - but probably untrue that a CT scan once per year qualifies as 'chronic'.

[urche]

radiation with virtual colonoscopy

Question for Bob or xrymd: I think I heard the radiation delivered with standard CT of the abdomen and pelvis is on the order of equivalent to 100 chest xrays. If so, it would be hard to make a case justifying such a test for screening without a lot of informed thought. Do you know how much radiation is needed for virtual colonoscopy compared to a standard CT of abdomen and pelvis? Has anyone run the data to predict how many cancers would be CAUSED by regular virtual colonoscopy screening?