TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH
Introduction
Diagnostics is the process of identifying a disease from the symptoms and signs and treating it. It can also be seen as an attempt at classification or taxonomy. Diagnostic process starts when the physician asks the patient specific questions in order to develop or observe a specific sign or symptom. With this information he can order for specific tests to be performed to confirm his diagnosis and prescribe the right medicine.
There are five different types of diagnostics. These are laboratory tests, endoscopy, prenatal tests, diagnostic imaging and genetic testing. The relevance of this to the course is that it saves time (by narrowing the number of diseases to a few) and improves on the quality of medicine to be prescribed to the patient.
The above are all categorised as diagnostic tests. They refer to any kind of medical test either physical or sampling of specimens. These tests are characterised by accuracy and precision. Diagnostic test are categories into three divisions: invasive, non-invasive and minimally invasive.
In the article attached below we shall focus on the virtual colonoscopy. This is not a new technology but rather an improvement to the previous method of performing the procedure. In the other division of endoscopy there is: Arthroscopy- joints, Bronchoscopy- lungs, Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy- urinary system, Laparoscopy- abdomen or pelvis, Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy- oesophagus and stomach.
Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are the process used to diagnose the large intestines. Sigmoidoscopy is mainly used to examine the last two feet of the large intestines whereas for colonoscopy is used to examine the whole four to five feet of the large intestine.
Conventional colonoscopy
The conventional method a long flexible tube with a camera and a light is guided up to the colon from the anus through the rectum. The camera projects the image on a screen that helps the doctor to guide the scope up the path. Once the scope has reached the large intestine, the doctor pumps some amount of carbon dioxide to inflate the colon. This is done with specific amounts. The objective is to inflate the intestine so that the doctor can observe the lining of the colon for damage or other irregularities.
For this process to be administered the patient is to be on a one to three day liquid diet. This is to ensure there is no solid matter in the duct so as to reduce mistakes made in thinking that solid waste matter to be growing’s.
Advantages
Biopsy of any cancerous growth can be done; it is accurate to 2 millimeters and can detect polyps at this accuracy; it is readily available due to the ease of the process (the ease depends at how long it he/she has been doing the process).
Disadvantages
It wastes a lot of time 30 to 60 minutes to do; there is the risk of contracting side effects such as weakness, dizziness, and bloody bowel movements; it is more painful due to the insertion of a whole tube.
Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy is used to remove polyps (growing’s) in the colon. These polyps are used to investigate other numerous diseases. These diseases include: gastrointestinal hemorrhage-unexpected changes in bowel movements and suspicion of malignancy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colon cancer. In some cases sigmoidoscopy can be used to find the cause of constipation abdominal pains and diarrhea.
In Canada, about 22,000 new cases of colon cancer are discovered and about 9100 deaths related to it in 2009. Of the 22,000 people 12,100 were men and 9,900 were women. In 2010 22,500 new cases were discovered and 9100 deaths occurred. Of the22, 500 Canadians 12,400 were men and 10,100 were women. This difference in numbers is due to early identification of these symptoms and adequate measures taken to treat and prevent further spread of the disease.
Virtual colonoscopy
It is a procedure used to observe the large intestines for defects or diseases associated with the colon e.g. cancer and project them in three-dimensional images. It uses computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to take photographs. The computerized tomography takes various number of cross sectional x rays and puts them together to produce pictures together to form whole images of the colon. For the MRI it uses powerful magnets to send waves through the body to perform the same procedure as the CT.
It was developed in 1993 but due to the development of CAD (computer aided design) it is able to produce images in 3D.
The procedure is almost the same as for the traditional colonoscopy. The patient is put on a liquid diet to remove all solid material from the colon for 1 to 3 days. He/she is the given a laxative to turn the solid material to liquid to enhance the bowl movement. The laxative is given the night before the procedure is done. A tube is then inserted into the anus and up to the rectum. Carbon dioxide then pumped up to enlarge the intestine to produce clear images. The patient is then slid into the CT or MRI machine to produce images of the large intestines. This is done twice. Once when the patient is lying facing up and then repeated when he/she is lying facing down.
This procedure is done in the radiology department of the hospital and the results are interpreted by a radiologist. After the procedure is completed the CT or MRI images are processed and three-dimensional images are produced of the colon.
Advantages
It takes less time to perform the procedure as compared to the conventional method. It is less intensive than the conventional method in terms of inserting a whole tube the size of the colon as compared to a short one to the anus. No sedation is needed so no time for recovery is actually needed. It is less painful in terms of where there is an inflammation or growth because one does not need to force a tube in such areas. The “aftermath” diseases are not experienced such as weakness, fever, bloody bowel movements and dizziness. Since the CT or MRI machine is not limited to the colon it can discover of defects elsewhere near the colon
Disadvantages
The doctor cannot biopsy any polyps observed he/she and the patient must undergo the conventional method to do that. It does not detect pre-cancerous smaller than 10 millimeters. It is not widely available as the conventional method. It is a relatively new method and not really wide spread hence limited to people interested. Insurance companies do not cover this procedure hence it is not wide spread. The procedure requires highly trained individual who are limited.
Diseases of the colon
Cancers: cancer starts in the colon or rectum. It is also known as colorectal cancer. There are other types of cancer related to the colon. These are melanoma, sarcomas, carcinoid tumors and lymphoma. These are mainly associated with people who are above sixty years of age, have cancer elsewhere in their body and have a family history of colon cancer occurrence.
Other diseases include bowel twist, endometriosisi, ileus-blockageof the intestines, colitis-information of the large intestines, angiodysplasia of the colon and many other various diseases.
All of the above diseases can be prevented by early screening so that the abnomarlities can be treated before they develop into dangerous diseases that can cause death are can be really expensive to treat.
With the emergence of virtual colonoscopy the images are uploaded into computers. With these use of computers it incorporates other fields of medicine such as health informatics. By definition it is the incorporation of several other fields such as computer science, information science and health care. It is the field that deals with the storage, retrieval and knowledge for solving and decision making.
It includes bar coding, automated data capture, wireless devices, computers, networks and handheld wireless devices. In health informatics is applied to various areas such as nursing, public health care, biomedical research, pharmacy, and dentistry.
In e-health where a patient consults with his/her patient through the use of internet due to the distance barrier his/her diagnostic test results can be uploaded for the doctor to review and give the right prescription for the patient to buy and gain his/her health.
Though there are obstacles to this method such as lack of technology-does not cover everywhere hence it is limiting, cultural barriers-such as traditional beliefs and human factor issues. Characteristics of a good health informatics are effective, easy to use, and easily available and fix ability and safe. Example of commonly used health informatics applications are telemedicine, electronic mail, voice recognition electronic order entry
Limitation of virtual colonoscopy
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Conclusion
Virtual colonoscopy has its advantages as compared to the conventional method. The main aspect to its invention was to improve on time saving and the ability for quick recovery. Though this are a big plus to the method of inspecting for cancer in the eventuality that cancer is discovered one has to undergo conventional colonoscopy to remove the polyp. It is therefore not recommended for people 50 years and above due to the risk of occurrence is higher than younger people. Though it is meant to be better than the previous method it does not really bring much of a change to the field of diagnostic treatment department.
In the article it is supposedly gaining in popularity but to the doctors involved in the field of cancer and other diseases associated to this is really unmoved to the invention and still prefers the conventional colonoscopy. With relevance to the article it is preferred to consult with one’s doctor on the preferred technique. With early identification a lot of diseases can be avoided therefore early scanning is encouraged as well as recommended.
