Endoscopic tests use a camera attached to a thin tube to examine different parts of the body, such as the lungs, digestive system, reproductive system, or joints. Examples include colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, bronchoscopy, and laparoscopy. These tests can be used to screen for cancer, diagnose medical conditions, and extract foreign bodies or drain abscesses.
During an endoscopic test, a thin tube with an attached camera is inserted into a person’s body. The different types of endoscopic tests earn their names based on which part of the body is being examined. For example, a bronchoscopy is used to look at the lungs, while a laparoscopy is a test done to look at the pelvic area. Other endoscopic tests may be done to examine the digestive system, reproductive system, or joints.
Colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy are two endoscopic tests used to examine the digestive system. A colonoscopy, also called a lower endoscopy test, is performed to examine a patient’s entire colon and rectum. The endoscope is inserted into the rectum while the patient is sedated. Colonoscopies are usually done to screen for cancer or diagnose another medical condition. A sigmoidoscopy is a test performed on the lower portion of the colon only.
An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), or an upper endoscopy, is a type of endoscopic test used to examine the stomach and esophagus. The scope is threaded through the patient’s mouth into his throat. An EGD is usually used to determine the cause of abdominal pain, vomiting, or heartburn. It can help diagnose conditions like celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or cancers.
Like an EGD, a bronchoscope is threaded into a person’s mouth and throat. However, the bronchoscope goes into a person’s windpipe, not the esophagus, and is used to examine the airways and lungs. If a doctor needs to look at the upper airway, the endoscope may be threaded through the nose. During a bronchoscopy, a doctor may also take samples of your lungs for testing.
A patient may undergo bronchoscopy to flush the airways and lungs, known as lavage. During the test, your doctor may also use the endoscope to extract a foreign body from your lungs or drain abscesses. In some cases, a bronchoscopy may be done as a way to treat lung cancer.
Laproscopy is a type of endoscopic test performed in the abdominal or pelvic area. To insert the scope into the body, a doctor makes a small cut in the abdominal area and passes the scope through the incision. A patient is usually placed under general anesthesia during the test. A laproscopy may be done to examine the appendix or gallbladder or to diagnose cysts or tumors in the reproductive system, such as ovarian cysts or cancer. The test can also be done to diagnose endometriosis or an ectopic pregnancy.
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