A recent study concluded that inefficient bowel preparation before a colonoscopy procedure may result in high false negative rates for adenomas or precancerous polyps and a need for repeat tests.

Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl of the Columbia University Medical Center said that a subpar cleansing of the bowel before colonoscopy has high impact on the effectiveness of the procedure. Dr. Lebwhol said that their findings of a miss rate of 27% for advanced adenomas and 42% for all types of adenomas suggests that inadequate bowel prep leads to false positive results and that follow-up test should be considered within a year.

Because colon cancer is a slow progressing cancer, effective screening procedures are early detection are very important to ensure patient’s survival. Colonoscopy is one of the best ways to allow physicians to spot and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancerous. However, for a colonoscopy to become effective the patient’s bowel must be properly and thoroughly cleansed. Colonoscopy is carried out by inserting a fiberoptic camera within a flexible tube in to the anus in order to visualize the inner lining of the entire colon (measuring to up to five feet in length).

According to the Harvard Medical School guide, bowel prep for colonoscopy takes about 16 hours. Bowel prep may involve avoiding taking insoluble fiber three days before the procedure, drinking a gallon of oral solution with medications a day before, and six hours of fasting prior to colonoscopy.