Etymed
colonoscopy
Definition
a medical procedure using a flexible tube with a camera to examine the interior of the colon
Clinical context
A 55-year-old man presents with a two-week history of rectal bleeding and changes in bowel habits. His primary care physician recommends a colonoscopy to evaluate for potential colorectal polyps or malignancy. During the procedure, the gastroenterologist identifies multiple adenomatous polyps in the sigmoid colon that are removed for biopsy.
Mnemonic
C-O-L-O-N-S-C-O-P-Y - Colonoscopy examines Colon, Ovaries, Lungs, Oropharynx, Neoplasms, Stomach, Prostate, and Yolk sac tumors