A "virtual biopsy

" colonoscopy might soon be able to determine whether a colon polyp is benign without a biopsy, U.S. researchers said.

Dr. Michael Wallace of the Mayo Clinic, in Florida, said currently, colon polyps are extracted during a colonoscopy and sent to a pathologist for examination, which adds time, expense, and some surgical risk, to the procedure.

UPI, 3/27/2010

Additional coverage: Saudi Press Agency

Tags: colonoscopy, Dr. Michael Wallace, GI