(September 18, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Arizona - According to research in the New England Journal of Medicine, a virtual colonoscopy is just as effective as a true colonoscopy. The virtual colonoscopy, dubbed CT colonography because it is performed using a CT scanner, was able to detect 90% of precancerous polyps that were 10 mm or larger. Unlike a normal colonoscopy, CT colonography requires no sedation, and is available at a significantly lower cost.

From New York - According to research in the Lancet, antibiotics taken during preterm labor may increase the risk for cerebral palsy in some children. Researchers studied nearly 3,300 children and found that 4.4% of those whose mothers had taken antibiotics developed cerebral palsy, compared to 1.6% of those whose mothers had taken a placebo. The researchers noted that if women have signs of infection and antibiotics are clearly indicated, then they should not be refused.

And finally, from the UK - According to a study in the journal Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, there is no such thing as a safe tan. In a review of published studies, researchers found that both tans and skin cancer start with DNA damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. While getting out in the sun allows the body to produce vitamin D, the researchers note that people need far less UV exposure for this process to occur than it takes to get a tan.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.