Sigmoidoscopy is the minimally invasive medical examination of the large intestine from the rectum through the nearest part of the colon, the sigmoid colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy uses a flexible endoscope and is generally the preferred approach, while rigid sigmoidoscopy uses a rigid device; sigmoidoscopy is similar to, but not the same as, colonoscopy, since it examines only up to the sigmoid rather than the whole large bowel.
Facts
FAQs
How much of the large bowel can a sigmoidoscopy examine?
It reaches the whole rectum and less than half of the colon, because the scope is only about 2 feet long.
The American Cancer Society describes a sigmoidoscope as a flexible, lighted tube with a small video camera on the end. It is inserted through the anus into the rectum and then moved into the lower part of the colon. Because the scope is only about 2 feet (60 cm) long, the doctor can see the entire rectum and less than half of the colon. Images from the scope appear on a video screen so the doctor can find and possibly remove any abnormal areas.
Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
Sigmoidoscopy (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmoidoscopy, lead sectionQuote, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmoidoscopy, lead section
Sigmoidoscopy ("sigma", the Greek term for letter "s/ς" + "eidos" + "scopy": namely, to look inside an "s"/"ς"-like object) is the minimally invasive medical examination of the large intestine from the rectum through to the nearest part of the colon, the sigmoid colon.
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