Posted Tuesday, March 18 --- 5:40pm

This past week, news outlets throughout the country have been buzzing about a relatively new type of screening for colon cancer: virtual colonoscopy.

It comes on the heels of the American Cancer Society now recommending V-C as a routine method of screening for the disease.

Many are hailing this, as a major step forward in the fight against colon cancer: including the Madison man behind the technology and his dad.

It was four years ago Charles Pickhardt was diagnosed with colon cancer. Completely asymptomatic and unaware there was a problem --- the only reason he'd gone in for a test was his son..

Dr. Perry Pickhardt asked his dad to be among the first screened in our area by virtual colonoscopy: technology he helped to create.

"I was 90% done reading it and thought it was fine until turned the corner and ran into this very large tumor. Immediately the blood just drained out of my face .... thought for sure would be advanced, possibly incurable mass ... largest one i had seen up to that point."

"Perry called, said come back in ... said, not good"

What was good -- they caught it early. Far too many aren't.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Cancers are often caught late because at least one third of those eligible for the test, choose not to. Often, because of how uncomfortable it is.

Virtual colonoscopy offers patients another choice: it is less invasive, less time consuming and proven equally effective. Something Pickhardt hopes will continue to bring others, like his dad, in the door.

"He's had a lot happen in his life from health standpoint ... it hits ya, especially when I see him playing with my kids, we're doing something together, just the fact we've bought this extra time.... which might be 20 30 years, you never know."

"What he's done, what he's doing... hopefully saving lives, shucks, what more can you ask for."