Study: Colonoscopy alternative effective but far from perfect

A LONG-AWAITED US federal study of an X-ray alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy confirms its effectiveness at spotting most cancers but points out it is far from perfect.

Some experts believe this potentially cheaper, less intrusive option may boost the 50% screening rate for a cancer that is the country’s second-biggest killer.

“We’re talking about, for the first time really, screening the population,” said Dr Carl Jaffe, an imaging expert at the National Cancer Institute who was not involved in the research.