Researchers at the State University of New York have developed a new procedure for colon cancer screening.

The procedure, called Virtual Colonoscopy, is faster, more accurate and less invasive than previous methods, said Arie Kaufman, lead researcher at SUNY's Stony Brook Computer Science Department, and colleagues.

The procedure can identify colon polyps before cancer spreads and can be preformed within 15 minutes with minimum risk.

Conventional colonoscopy is invasive with a risk of puncturing the colon and requires that the patient be sedated, according to the researchers. They suggest that these complications contribute to colorectal cancer being the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.

In a Virtual Colonoscopy, a 40-second scan of the patient's abdomen is taken. The image is then automatically segmented and reconstructed, providing a 3-D model of the colon. Then, enhanced technology is used to virtually navigate the colon, looking for polyps.

The procedure is being extended to provide 3-D models for visualizing the interior of other organs, such as the heart, arteries, lungs, and stomach.

The research was funded by the Office of Naval Research.

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