A laxative-free colonoscopy could help people overcome the most common reason they skip the cancer-screening test.

The new test uses a CT scan to get a visual of the colon.

Patients undergoing that type of screening must follow a low-fiber diet for two days before the test. They have to take a pill that serves as a contrast agent during the test.

A software program lets doctors differentiate between polyps and material normally found in the colon.

Researchers found that the laxative-free test was able to identify more than 90 percent of large polyps that are the most likely to become cancerous.