Endoscopy

Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
           An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a way for your doctor to look at the inside lining of your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine (called the duodenum). The doctor uses a thin, flexible viewing instrument called an endoscope. With the endoscope, your doctor can check to see if you have any ulcers, inflammation, tumors, infection, or bleeding. This test is also known as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD.

Lower Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
          A lower gastrointestinal endoscopy is the examination of the entire colon (colonoscopy) of the rectum and sigmoid colon (flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy). In both procedures, a flexible tube composed of thin fibers of glass and attached to a powerful light source is passed into the lower GI tract for direct observation. The Physician uses lower GI endoscopy to obtain specimens, remove polyps, and diagnose bleeding, inflammation, or tumors.