Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego, Calif., is conjuring up even more good news for consumers, especially those who have to undergo colonoscopies anytime soon. The procedure – which is recommended for those 50 years and older, those with a family history of colon cancer, or those experiencing symptoms of the disease – is getting more accurate, thanks to better techniques and equipment such as a camera that helps detect polyps and other lesions in the colon and the intestines, according to a report on Web MD.

Doctors have been working to improve the technology used during the screening, and according to reports at the annual meeting, their efforts have paid off. One improvement is a disposable device that is passed through the instrument channel of a standard colonoscope, called a Third Eye Retroscope, or TER. The scopes let doctors get a better view of the areas they may otherwise miss with standard screening equipment.

Studies on the use of TER have found the new technique gave doctors 13 percent improved diagnostic yield. In the study of 300 patients, researchers concluded that 15 of 136 precancerous growths and 34 of 257 polyps would have been missed had it not been for the TER.

Another plus is high-definition technology in colonoscopies are giving doctors an even better view of the colon than traditional “white light” colonoscopies. One study included 2,400 patients, half of whom underwent standard exams while the other half had high-definition exams. Thirty percent of precancerous lesions were found in the high-def group compared to 24 in the standard-def group. High-definition is not available at all facilities but should become more widely available as facilities upgrade to newer machines.

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