Overview

Gastro-intestinal examination

Unfortunately, gastro-intestinal illnesses and disease are still, across large parts of our societies, considered taboo, especially testing for the early detection of colon cancer. However, instances of colon cancer are not uncommon in the population: approximately 1 person in 20 will, in the course of their lifetime, between the ages of 67 and 72 be confronted with this type of cancer. In Germany, colon cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer in both men and women. Despite the fact that, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the number of new cases being diagnosed yearly has remained constant, approximately 46% of all confirmed cases do not survive 5 years after the initial diagnosis. However, colon cancer is curable when it is detected early enough.

In fighting colon disease, the best chance for winning the war against the disease is early detection. With regular check-ups, early detection of carcinomas in the colon can often prevent further progression into colon cancer. In 90 to 95% of all cases, colon cancers begin as benign polyps (adenomas) that only after 10 years degenerate into malignant cancerous tumours. Through early detection, we can remove these polyps and thereby prevent the progression to colon cancer by almost 90%.

Despite increased attention on the causes and treatments for colon cancer, the methods of treatment remain very unpopular - less than 25% of the population undergoes the commonmethod for diagnosing the disease: a fibre optic colonoscopy. In general, this procedure is known to be a very uncomfortable examination where the endoscopy is inserted rectally into the colon.

In our practice, we have an alternative to the traditional rectal colon examination. With the use of the MSCT we can produce three-dimensional images of the abdominal cavity and pelvic floor which gives the examining physician a very detailed view of the entire intestinal tract. In a study done in December 2003, it was determined that the 'virtual endoscopy' was able to identify benign tumours in patients at the same rate as the traditional colonoscopy.

Not only is the virtual endoscopy more comfortable than the more traditional method for examining the colon, but it also allows for the supplementary evaluation of the intestinal wall and, as a patient in our practice you will be able to profit from this latest technological advance.