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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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cystoscopy  listen  (sis-TOS-koh-pee)

  Examination of the bladder and urethra using a cystoscope, inserted into the urethra. A cystoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease.

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Cystoscopy; drawing shows a side view of the lower pelvis containing the bladder, uterus, and rectum. Also shown are the vagina and anus. The flexible tube of a cystoscope (a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing) is shown passing through the urethra and into the bladder. Fluid is used to fill the bladder. An inset shows a woman lying on an examination table with her knees bent and legs apart. She is covered by a drape. The doctor looks at an image of the inner wall of the bladder on a computer monitor.