Colonoscopies can be an uncomfortable procedure for patients who may already be worried about what the results may find. The process involves probing the large intestine with a tiny fibre optic camera, known as an endoscope, embedded in a 4ft long, flexible tube.
As well as colon cancer, colonoscopies can be used to detect and diagnose a whole host of diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn's disease.
The procedure itself is not only uncomfortable and expensive, it can also be ineffective at spotting smaller tumours – leading to misdiagnosis. Around 750,000 incomplete colonoscopies occur each year in the US alone, which means patients often have to undergo an additional procedure, such as an X-ray or CT scan, in order to complete the colorectal examination – incurring extra costs and risks in the process.
The procedure itself is not only uncomfortable and expensive, it can also be ineffective at spotting smaller tumours – leading to misdiagnosis. Around 750,000 incomplete colonoscopies occur each year in the US alone, which means patients often have to undergo an additional procedure, such as an X-ray or CT scan, in order to complete the colorectal examination – incurring extra costs and risks in the process.
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