Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests: MedlinePlus Medical Test
What happens throughout a colorectal cancer screening?
There are two principal forms of colorectal cancer screening tests: visible exams and stool tests. There are distinct alternatives for both forms of tests.
Visible exams are methods that enable a supplier to appear within the colon and rectum. They are finished possibly utilizing a slim tube with a digicam attached or with a particular imaging product. Styles of visible exams incorporate:
Colonoscopy. This exam lets a supplier to look at your total colon and rectum. It is normally finished in an outpatient office of a hospital or medical heart. Before the exam, you will need to have to empty out your colon (big bowel) in a course of action referred to as bowel prep. All through the exam:
- You will lie on an exam desk.
- You will be offered medication referred to as a sedative to assistance you chill out. It also helps prevent you from experience soreness throughout the course of action. You could be awake for the exam, but you possibly won’t don’t forget just about anything.
- A colonoscope, a slim, lighted tube with a digicam attached, will be inserted into your rectum and up into your colon.
- Your supplier will appear for colorectal polyps or other abnormal areas.
- Your supplier could get rid of polyps or tissue samples utilizing particular equipment inserted via the scope.
- Polyps or samples could be despatched to a lab for screening.
The sedative you are offered could make you drowsy for various hours. You ought to set up for an individual to generate you house.
Sigmoidoscopy. This exam lets your supplier to appear at the reduced portion of the colon. All through the exam:
- You will lie on an exam desk with your knees drawn up to your chest.
- A sigmoidoscope, a flexible, lighted tube with a digicam, will be inserted into the rectum and up into the reduced portion of the colon.
- Air will be pumped via the sigmoidoscope to make the colon larger and much easier to see.
- The air could make you experience like you need to have to have a bowel motion or move gasoline.
- Your supplier could get rid of polyps or tissue samples utilizing particular equipment inserted via the scope.
- Polyps or samples could be despatched to a lab for screening.
Digital Colonoscopy. This is a variety of x-ray that utilizes a CT scan (computed tomography) to consider detailed, three-dimensional photographs of the total colon and rectum. It is typically finished in a radiology office of a hospital or medical heart. This course of action also requires bowel prep beforehand. All through the exam:
- You will lie on a slender desk.
- You could be requested to consume a liquid made up of distinction dye. Distinction dye is a compound that makes parts of your entire body exhibit up extra obviously on an x-ray.
- A supplier will insert a tiny tube into the rectum.
- Air will be pumped via the tube to make the colon larger and much easier to see.
- The desk will slide into the CT device.
- A series of images will be taken.
Stool tests appear at stool samples for signs of cancer. For these tests, you consider a stool sample at house and ship it to a lab. Styles of stool tests:
Fecal occult blood tests. These tests appear for concealed (acknowledged as occult) blood in the stool. Blood in the stool could be a sign of polyps, cancer, or other circumstances. Your overall health treatment supplier will give you a package that involves guidelines on how to do the exam.
There are two forms of fecal occult blood tests: the fecal immunochemical exam (Match) and the guaiac smear approach (gFOBT). Below are standard guidelines for just about every exam. Your guidelines could range somewhat depending on the company of the exam package.
For a fecal immunochemical exam (Match), you will most very likely need to have to:
- Gather samples from two or 3 different bowel movements.
- Gather the sample from the bathroom utilizing the particular brush or other product involved in your package.
- For just about every sample, use the brush or product to consider the sample from the area of the stool.
- Brush the sample on to a exam card.
- Label and seal all your samples as directed.
- Mail the samples to your overall health treatment supplier or lab.
For a guaiac smear exam (gFOBT), you will most very likely need to have to:
- Gather samples from 3 different bowel movements.
- For just about every sample, collect the stool and shop it in a clean container. Make positive the sample does not mix in with urine or drinking water from the bathroom.
- Use the applicator from your exam package to smear some of the stool on the exam card or slide, also involved in your package.
- Label and seal all your samples as directed.
- Mail the samples to your overall health treatment supplier or lab.
Stool DNA exam. This exam checks for genetic changes in the stool that could be signs of colorectal polyps or cancer. Your supplier will permit you know to get a exam package. The package will incorporate guidelines on how to do the exam. The guidelines will very likely incorporate the subsequent steps:
- Place a particular container within your bathroom.
- Gather an total bowel motion.
- Close and seal the container.
- Mail the container with the stool sample to a lab for screening.