title: Virtual colonoscopy: the endoscopist's point of view.
abstract: The major advantage of virtual colonoscopy is that it might increase acceptance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Its disadvantages are high costs and unknown sensitivity and specificity if widely applied. It might replace colonoscopy to a substantial degree only if no bowel preparation is necessary. Gastroenterologists have to include virtual colonoscopy as a complementary method to colonoscopy. Virtual colonoscopy may increase the ratio of therapeutic colonoscopies compared with simple "diagnostic" procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. peter.bauerfeind@dim.usz.ch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bauerfeind
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D023881:Colonography, Computed Tomographic / Q000191:economics; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity