An endoscope is a device with a light attached that is used to look inside a body cavity or organ. The scope is inserted through a natural opening, such as the mouth during a bronchoscopy, the rectum for a sigmoidoscopy, or the vagina for a cystoscopy.
A medical procedure using any type of endoscope is called endoscopy.
Review Date: 5/17/2007
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Gastrointestinal Diagnostic/Treatment Procedures (Endoscopy, etc.)
