4 Questions to Ask Your Colonoscopy Doctor

Treatment TermsColonoscopy Author MaryAnn Fletcher Sub-Title Rate of Finding Precancerous Polyps Is Key Overview If your GI doctor finds and removes precancerous polyps during your colonoscopy, it could keep you from developing life-threatening colon cancer. Content Blocks ContentTo make sure colonoscopies are as effective as possible, gastroenterology professional associations have recommended four ways to measure how well doctors and hospitals perform the screening exams. Before you schedule your colonoscopy, Duke gastroenterologistZiad Gellad, MD, MPH, recommends you ask these questions. Section Features Text Content Header 1. What ’s Your Adenoma Detection Rate? ContentAdenoma is the medical term for polyps, or growths, in the colon that could turn into cancer. This measure looks at what percentage of average-risk patients ages 50 or older are found to have at least one adenoma during their screening colonoscopy. “The higher the percentage, the greater the chance of preventing cancers,” said Dr. Gellad. The professional societies have set 25 percent as the benchmark. For the 2016-2017 academic year ending June 30, 2017, Duke GI doctors averaged 38 percent, well above that goal. Section Features Text Content Header 2. How Often Do You Reach the Start of the Large Intestine? ContentIf your doctor is able to reach the start of your large intestine during your colonoscopy, he or she will be better able to find any polyps located in th...
Source: dukehealth.org: Duke Health News - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Source Type: news