By Beth Munoz

Unless they happen to come from a family that repeatedly has people living happily into their hundreds, most people do not like the idea of becoming old. Basically, that is because they dread all of the different things that could go wrong with their health. It seems that once a person turns fifty, he or she automatically end up needing to check their colon.

For the people who dread the traditional colonoscopy procedure, technology has given them the virtual colonoscopy. However, in order to truly appreciate the advancements that a virtual colonoscopy has brought, one must first understand the tradition method.

So, chances are that when you reach middle age, your doctor will tell you that in addition to your usual blood work, you will need a colonoscopy once a year. The idea behind this rather archaic experiment is that the person will have to abstain from certain foods for several days, pretty much restricting themselves to a liquid diet.

Then, before the date of the actual procedure, they will have to drink a specialized drink that completely clears the colon. This means that the patient had better have something to read and like the dcor of their bathroom, as they will be spending a couple of hours in it.

On the day of the actual procedure, the patient will have to not only expose his or her bottom to the medical team, but will have to have a long probe inserted up it. This is to check for polyps in the colon, which could prove fatal if they are not properly diagnosed in advance.

Needless to say, the virtual colonoscopy comes as a welcome relief to patients who really do not want to be probed. However, this does not mean that the patient is not still subjected to that drink the night before, because the colon still needs to be properly cleansed.

At this point, patients will probably ask what the particulars of a virtual colonoscopy entail. Well, if the patient has ever had an x-ray, they are already ahead of the situation, because that is basically what this procedure is. Thanks to the advancement in x-ray technology, bones and teeth are not the only things that can be seen in detail. Now, organs and tissue can also be seen as well, and in a three-dimensional format.

This procedure is somewhat of a hybrid between a regular x-ray and a CT scan. While elements of the regular x-ray are used, the patient is in an enclosed space similar to that of what is required in a CT scan. Those who are claustrophobic might not be very happy with this, but they will certainly be pleased that they will no longer have to deal with the invasiveness of the original procedure.

As with the original procedure, this will be performed in an outpatient facility. While the original procedure required local anesthesia, this procedure does not. In fact, all the patient has to do is wear a medical robe and lay as still as possible.

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