Colonoscopy as a Screening Procedure?

Abstract

Had the invention of fibreoptic viewing bundles and the development of fibre endoscopes come at the beginning of this century, when radiology was in its infancy, it is not difficult to imagine that present arrangements for screening or investigation of patients for gastrointestinal cancer might be very different. The organisation and the budgets of established X-ray departments cannot be equalled by the gastrointestinal endoscopy units in most centres, and there are insufficient medical staff to perform multiple screening endoscopies.