Types of Endoscopy
Endoscopy is a broad term used to describe the inspection of the inside of the body using a (usually) flexible instrument called an endoscope, with a camera and light at one end and a viewing monitor or eyepiece at the other. These are usually introduced through a natural opening such as the mouth or anus. This is an important technique used for taking biopsies. Examples of Endoscopy are:
- Bronchoscopy - examination of the mouth, voice box, bronchi and bronchioles.
A fibre-optic bronchoscope. All endoscopes look like this but calibre and length vary. Image courtesy of Wellcome Photo Library.
- Gastroscopy - examination of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach and duodenum.
- Colonoscopy - examination of the rectum and colon to the ileocaecal valve.
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy - examination of the rectum and lower part of the colon.
- Proctoscopy - examination of the anal canal.
- Cystoscopy - examination of the bladder.
- Ureteroscopy - examination of the ureter. The bladder is examined first using a rigid cystoscope and the opening of the ureter identified for the ureteroscope.
