Virtual colonoscopy, or computer-aided x-ray, is the next breakthrough in colon imaging and potentially an acceptable option for colorectal cancer screening. At the University Hospital and East Ann Arbor Procedures Center, virtual colonoscopy is available if a traditional colonoscopy can’t be completed. The test can be performed that same day so patients can avoid undergoing the preparation twice.

Capsule endoscopy involves swallowing a pill that contains a tiny digital camera that can visualize the 15 to 18 feet of small intestine that cannot be reached by standard procedures such as upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Because it is used to detect specific disorders of the small intestine, this test is not a substitute for a colonoscopy, which looks at the large intestine.