Endoscope, endoscopy

Endoscope, endoscopy

An endoscope as used in the field of gastroenterology is a thin flexible tube which uses a lens or miniature camera to view various areas of the gastrointestinal tract. When the procedure is performed to examine certain organs such as the bile ducts or pancreas, the organs are not viewed directly, but rather indirectly through the injection of x-ray dye. The performance of an exam using an endoscope is referred by the general term endoscopy. Diagnosis through biopsies or other means and therapeutic procedures can be done with these instruments.

Mentioned in: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Sphincterotomy, GI Bleeding Studies, Helicobacteriosis