Colon
![Colon screening may be done in several ways. Screening exams are powerful tools to detect colorectal cancer.](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/colonoscopy3.jpg?output-quality=75)
Colon screening may be done in several ways. Screening exams are powerful tools to detect colorectal cancer. Regular screenings enable physicians to detect cancer early. They can also identify and remove polyps and growths of tissue on the lining of the colon or rectum that can potentially become cancerous.
- A colonoscope is a long, slender, flexible tube about the thickness of a finger that has a camera at the tip, enabling doctors to examine the entire colon.
- It is inserted into the body through the anus and gently guided through the rectum and colon. Patients are administered sedatives during the exam to keep them comfortable and relaxed. The test is usually done in the hospital as an outpatient procedure.
- The colonoscope provides the doctor with magnified images of the inner wall of the colon and rectum. If a polyp is found during the examination, instruments can be passed through the colonoscope to remove polyps or tissue samples.
- The extracted tissue samples will be checked for the presence of cancer cells.
- Some patients may be eligible for a virtual colonoscopy, which uses advanced computed tomography (CT) technology and computer software to produce images of the colon.
- A sigmoidoscope is a slender, flexible tube about the thickness of a finger that has a camera at the tip.
- It is inserted into the lower part of the colon through the rectum.
- The sigmoidoscope provides doctors with a view of the inner wall of the rectum and lower colon, allowing them to search for polyps or cancerous tissue.
- The tube is about 2 feet long, so doctors can examine half of the colon. The test is performed in the physician’s office and can be uncomfortable but is generally not painful.
Imaging exams
- If screening exams suggest the presence of cancer, advanced imaging techniques, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans, are used to determine if cancer has spread to other organs and tissues.
Double-contrast barium enema
- Before taking an X-ray image, the colon is filled with air and a white, chalky liquid called barium.
- The barium and air show an outline of the colon, rectum and any polyps or abnormal tissue on the X-ray.
Apart from these tests, a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is recommended by doctors to screen for colon cancer. FOBT is a test to check stool (solid waste) for blood that is detected with a microscope. A small sample of stool is collected in a sterile container and sent to the doctor or laboratory for testing. There are three types of FOBTs:
- Guaiac FOBT: The sample of stool is placed on the special card and is usually tested with a chemical. If there is blood in the stool, the special card changes its color.
- Immunochemical FOBT: A liquid is added to the stool sample. This mixture is injected into a machine that contains antibodies that can detect blood in the stool. If there is blood in the stool, a line appears on the screen of the machine. This test is also called the fecal immunochemical test or FIT.
- Cologuard: Cologuard is a new screening method that combines a FIT test with a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) laboratory test. This detects existing colon cancer or advanced precancerous polyps cells. These cells are present on the lining of the large intestine and are shed periodically and passed through the stool. If there are cancerous polyps in the large intestine, cells from these polyps are also shed and can be detected in the stool. Cologuard identifies the DNA associated with colon cancer in these shed cells as well as the presence of blood, which is an early sign of colon cancer in the stool.
Top How Do You Check Your Colon? Related Articles
What Is Balloon Endoscopy?
Balloon endoscopy is a procedure used to view the small intestine and the digestive track. There are two types of balloon endoscopy, single balloon and double balloon. Balloon endoscopy is used to diagnose and treat diseases of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and colon (large intestine).Colon Cancer: How Your Food and Diet Can Affect Colorectal Cancer Health
Diet, including nutrient, antioxidant, and vitamin intake, affects colon cancer risk. Certain dietary factors either decrease or increase the risk of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and other diseases. Dietary factors may either inhibit or stimulate the development of cancer cells. Have a nutrition plan that decreases the risk.Colorectal (Colon) Cancer Quiz
What is colorectal (colon) cancer and who gets it? Take this quiz to find out how this disease may be prevented.Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
What Is Flexible Sigmoidoscopy?
Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure used to examine the lower colon and rectum. Flexible sigmoidoscopy can investigate the possible cause of rectal bleeding, bowel changes, and symptoms such as rectal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. During the procedure, a biopsy of tissue can be taken for further examination, or polyps may be removed.hydrocortisone rectal
Hydrocortisone rectal is a prescription cream or suppository used to treat and reduce inflammation of the colon and rectum caused by ulcerative colitis (UC). Common side effects of hydrocortisone rectal include burning, dryness, follicle inflammation (folliculitis), reduced pigmentation (hypopigmentation), itching, pain, rectal bleeding, and secondary infection. Do not take if you have systemic fungal infections because symptoms can be exacerbated. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.MoviPrep (PEG-3350, Sodium Sulfate, SodiumChloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbate)
MoviPrep is a prescription bowel prep medication used by adults to clean the colon before a colonoscopy. Serious side effects of MoviPrep include changes in certain blood tests, ulcers of the bowel, bowel problems (ischemic colitis), and serious allergic reactions.All About Polyps
Do you know what a polyp is? Learn the definition of a polyp, which can be found in the sinuses, stomach, colon, gallbladder, and elsewhere. Learn about endometrial polyps, adenomatous polyps, sessile polyps, pedunculated polyps, uterine polyps, and cervical polyps. Some are more likely to cause cancer.Why Is Red Meat Not Healthy?
Red meat is neither exclusively bad or good. If eaten within a well-balanced diet, it can actually be quite good for you. But, if you eat too much red meat or eat it in an unhealthy way, red meat can be bad for you.