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US Medical Imaging Participates in National Colon Cancer Study

In the wake of the American Cancer Society’s new guidelines on colon cancer screening, Scottsdale Medical Imaging (SMIL) announces that the organization was a leading participant in the largest multi-center national study comparing virtual colonoscopy with conventional colonoscopy.

The preliminary results of the study show that virtual colonoscopy is as effective in detecting polyps and cancers as conventional colonoscopy. Complete results from the study will be disclosed later this year.

“While the recent innovation in colon cancer screening is very exciting, more importantly I want people to just realize the importance of being screened for the disease,” said Dr. Mark Kuo, SMIL cross-sectional body imaging radiologist and SMIL’s principal investigator for the virtual colonoscopy trial.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 950 people will die in Arizona this year from illnesses related to colon cancer. It is recommended that people age 50 and over get a colon cancer screening (at intervals of five to 10 years). People with a family history of colon cancer, who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease or who have had a polyp before, are at higher risk and are urged to be screened.

The importance of colon cancer screening is often overlooked. Studies show colon cancer screenings can save lives. If caught early, colon cancer is one of the most preventable, treatable cancers today, having a 90 percent survival rate. However, only half of the people recommended to receive screenings actually do so. The bottom line – get screened before it’s too late.

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