ColonScore

Colon Cancer Facts | Colon Cancer Prevention | Colon Cancer Risk Factors | ColonScore (CT Colonography)

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ColonScore is LifeScore's program for the early detection and prevention of colon cancer. ColonScore uses the high speed CT scan to perform 'CT colonography'. The test is a non-invasive alternative to colonoscopy, which is the current gold standard for colon cancer prevention. Colonoscopy is an invasive procedure which requires sedation.

Colon Cancer Facts

• Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the US, accounting for about 48,000 deaths a year.
  
• Over 97,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year.
  
• Colon cancer is the 3rd most common cancer among men and women in the US.
  
• Men and women are at equal risk.
  
• 90% of colon cancers occur over age 50.
  

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Colon Cancer Prevention

• Nearly 75% of colon cancers occur in people without medical risk factors, suggesting that it can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
  
• The most effective behaviors for lowering the risk of colon cancer, without raising the risk of other complications or diseases, are:
  
• Getting screened regularly after age 50
  
• Being more physically active
  
• Eating less red meat
  
• Taking a multivitamin that contains folic acid
  
• High vegetable intake
  

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Colon Cancer Risk Factors

• A personal or family history of colorectal cancer
  
• A personal history of colon polyps
  
• Inflammatory bowel disease
  
• Specific genetic syndromes
  
• High red meat intake
  
• Obesity
  
• Alcohol and tobacco use
  

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ColonScore (CT Colonography)

ColonScore uses the high-speed CT scanner to take a series of image slices through the colon. These images are then processed in a workstation to create a 3D fly-though of the inside of the colon. Our radiologists combine 2D views and 3D views to examine the entire colon. The radiologists look for polyps. The polyps may be benign or malignant. If a polyp is found, it may be necessary to undergo colonoscopy to have the polyp biopsied.

CT colonography, in recent studies (Radiology,
Vol. 219, pp. 685-692, 2001), has been shown to detect 91 of the polyps that were detected by colonoscopy. This degree of sensitivity is considered to be excellent for a screening procedure.

In order to clean the bowel before the procedure, LifeScore uses a system of products called Fleet. Compared to older preps, these are better tolerated, and result in less pre-procedure discomfort.

Before the images are taken, air or CO2 is inflated into the colon to distend it. This requires the introduction of a small tube into the rectum. Then a series of images are taken in the supine position, followed by a series in the prone position. The whole procedure can be done in less than an hour.

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