What is a Colonoscopy and when is it used?
Colonoscopy, the most thorough test procedure, is a visual examination of the rectum and entire colon, performed in a hospital or clinic. Using a slender, flexible lighted instrument called a colonoscope, a doctor (a gastroenterologist) looks at the inside walls of the full length of the colon. If abnormalities are found, they can be removed or a biopsy can be performed during the same procedure. This exam does not usually cause pain, although it can be uncomfortable. A general anesthesia is sometimes used for this procedure.
