Intestinal Imaging (Radiology)

Bowel cancer affects over 34000 people in the UK each year and is the second commonest cause of cancer related death. However bowel cancer can be cured if detected at an early stage and even prevented if its precursor, the colonic polyp can be identified and subsequently removed.

Virtual Colonoscopy (VC) utilises the latest CT body scanner technology for detecting and staging colonic polyps and bowel cancer. VC offers a relatively non-invasive, patient friendly investigation whereby, a small thin flexible catheter is inserted into the bottom and carbon dioxide is used to distend the bowel. The patient then undergoes a CT scan, lasting only a few seconds. There is no requirement for sedation or pain killers. Sometimes, if an abnormality is found, the patient may be offered a 'same-day' procedure for endoscopic removal or biopsy, a 'one-stop' service highlighting the strong links between the St. Mark's Intestinal imaging Centre and The Wolfson Unit for Endoscopy.

St. Mark's/NPH believe that Virtual Colonoscopy should be available to all and we are proud of ourmultidisciplinary service, which aims to be a model of practice to guide implementation of VC at other UK centres. With this aim, we organise a comprehensive Virtual Colonoscopy training programme including both residential of non-residential courses for both Radiographers and Radiologists.

Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) Training course for CT Colonography Trainers

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St. Mark's "Hands on" CT Colonography (CTC) Training Course for Radiographers 2013

4th to 8th March 2013 (full)

15th to 19th April 2013 (full)

1st to 5th July 2013 (full)

16th to 20th September 2013 (full)

Two Day Virtual Colonoscopy Workshops for Radiologists 2013

23rd and 24th April 2013 (full)

24th and 25th September 2013

For further information please contact the Academic Institute.