If you have ever had an invasive medical procedure, then you know it can become embarrassing. After all, it is not everyday that you find yourself in such a position. Sure, the doctors are not looking at you in "that way", it's all in the name of science and whatnot, but still, even if you are okay with it, there are some people who are definitely not, and thus avoid having the procedure done in the first place.
This is simply not acceptable, and so, keeping the delicate needs of patients in mind, the virtual colonoscopy was born. In the original version of a colonoscopy, a long tube is inserted up the posterior and into the small intestine, which is, in essence, is what the colon is.
However, in a virtual colonoscopy, a lot of pain and discomfort is avoided, although a small tube is still inserted into the posterior to enable the three-dimensional scanning. Specifically, a virtual colonoscopy is an extremely detailed x-ray scan that enables the doctors to see far more than they could have just with a camera.
Why might a person require a virtual colonoscopy in the first place? Well, certain foods that people like to eat can actually be rather problematic for their intestine. To understand this, it is important to understand the digestive process.
Basically, when a person eats, the food gets digested in the stomach and passes through to the large intestine and the small intestine. All the while, the body is sorting the things that it needs from the things that it doesn't need. Once all of the nutrients that could possible be gotten from the food have been gotten, what is left gets excreted.
While the ideal situation is to have all leftover food completely gotten rid of from the small intestine, sometimes various kinds of foods, like lots of red meat and white bread, remain and rot within the intestines. This can cause a lot of different problems, so it is very important to keep properly hydrated and to eat things that have lots of fiber in them, like whole grain breads.
However, despite a person's most diligent efforts, sometimes things can happen that are beyond their control, such as polyps. Polyps are small growths that grow in the small intestine and rectum. If left untreated, not only are they cancerous, but they can also cause death. This is the main reason why people who have reached (and surpassed) middle age need to have this procedure done on an annual basis.
In order to properly prepare for the procedure, the days leading up to it are going to require a change in diet. Certain kinds of foods will not be allowed. The day before the procedure, the patient will need to drink a special kind of drink that will completely clear out the colon as well as coat it to enable the best view possible for the doctors. The average patient will be able to resume regular activities soon after the procedure is complete.
