Colonoscopy, endoscopy, and advanced GI procedures.

Colonoscopy is the gold-standard screening test for colorectal cancer and the most effective tool for evaluating digestive symptoms. Using a flexible scope with a high-definition camera, your gastroenterologist examines the lining of the entire colon and rectum.

What makes colonoscopy uniquely valuable is that it both finds and treats. When precancerous polyps are discovered, they can be removed during the same procedure — stopping colorectal cancer before it ever develops. No other screening test does both in one visit.

Colonoscopy is used for

• Routine colorectal cancer screening, typically beginning at age 45
• Surveillance for patients with a history of polyps or a family history of colorectal cancer
• Detection and removal of precancerous polyps
• Evaluation of rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or changes in bowel habits
• Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and chronic diarrhea

Full colonoscopy details & what to expect →

Upper endoscopy — also called an EGD, or esophagogastroduodenoscopy — examines the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine. A thin, flexible scope passed through the mouth gives your gastroenterologist a direct, magnified view of the upper digestive tract.

Because the scope reaches the tissue itself, an EGD can identify conditions that imaging alone may miss, and small tissue samples can be taken for biopsy during the same procedure when needed.

Upper endoscopy is used for

• Evaluation of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum
• Persistent acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD
• Inflammation of the esophagus or stomach lining
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Unexplained upper abdominal pain, nausea, or bleeding
• Diagnosis of celiac disease and Barrett's esophagus

Full upper endoscopy details & what to expect →

Flexible sigmoidoscopy targets the lower portion of the colon — the sigmoid colon and rectum — for screening and diagnosis. A flexible scope examines this region, where a significant share of colorectal polyps and cancers develop.

Because it focuses on the lower colon rather than its full length, sigmoidoscopy is a shorter procedure with a more limited preparation. Your gastroenterologist will advise whether sigmoidoscopy or a full colonoscopy is the right choice for your situation.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is used for

• Screening and diagnosis in the lower colon and rectum
• Evaluation of rectal bleeding
• Investigation of lower abdominal symptoms
• Follow-up of previously identified findings in the sigmoid colon

Capsule endoscopy uses a small, swallowable camera — roughly the size of a vitamin — to evaluate the small intestine. As the capsule travels naturally through your digestive tract, it captures thousands of images that your gastroenterologist reviews in detail.

The small intestine sits beyond the reach of a traditional colonoscope or upper endoscope, which makes capsule endoscopy uniquely valuable. It is often the answer when other tests haven't explained a patient's symptoms. The capsule passes naturally and requires no sedation.

Capsule endoscopy is used for

• Evaluation of the small intestine, beyond the reach of standard scopes
• Investigation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding
• Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia
• Suspected Crohn's disease affecting the small bowel
• Symptoms that remain unexplained after colonoscopy or upper endoscopy