Colonoscopy via a small swallowed video capsule may allow some patients at high risk for colon cancer to have polyps detected without need for traditional colonoscopy examinations, according to findings presented at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

Blair Lewis, MD, and his American colleagues conducted a blinded trial to assess the efficacy of capsule colonoscopy for high-risk patients. Of 51 patients, (average age, 54 years), 31 were receiving routine screening, 16 had family histories of colon cancer, 3 patients had blood in their stool, and 1 had a history of colon polyps.

Patients underwent two bowel cleansings, one for capsule colonoscopy and one for virtual colonoscopy and standard, physical colonoscopy. All doctors were blinded to each other. The doctors reading the capsules did not provide results to the doctors performing the virtual or physical colonoscopy. At the end of the colonoscopy, the study was unblinded for all results and colonoscopy was repeated to ensure comprehensive screening.

Of the 17 pre-cancerous polyps found in 15 patients, 16 were detected by colonoscopy, 12 by capsule colonoscopy and 5 by virtual colonoscopy.

Lewis said “Capsule colonoscopy is a promising new technology for visualizing the colon. Furthermore, capsule colonoscopy may complement colonoscopy in cases where colonoscopy is contraindicated, in incomplete colonoscopy, and for patients unwilling to undergo standard colonoscopy. Capsule colonoscopy appears to be more sensitive than virtual colonoscopy in detecting small colon polyps and it has potential for colorectal cancer screening.”