National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Colonoscopy is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is a procedure that lets your doctor look inside your entire large intestine. It uses an instrument called a colonoscope, or scope for short. Scopes have a tiny camera attached to a long, thin tube. The procedure lets your doctor see things such as inflamed tissue, abnormal growths, and ulcers.
Your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy for a number of reasons:
- To look for early signs of cancer in the colon and rectum
- To look for causes of unexplained changes in bowel habits
- To evaluate symptoms like abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and weight loss
Your doctor can also remove polyps from your colon during a colonoscopy.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Start Here
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Colonoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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Colonoscopy
(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Colonoscopy
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
, and
Multimedia & Cool Tools
.
For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
, and
For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Colonoscopy(American College of Surgeons) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Preparing for a Colonoscopy(American Gastroenterological Association) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Understanding Colonoscopy(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
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Latest News
- Missing Follow-Up Colonoscopies Could Raise Colon Cancer Risk(08/24/2012, HealthDay)
- If Colonoscopy Picks up Cancer Risk, Get Next Screen in 5 Years(07/25/2012, HealthDay)
- FDA Approves New Colon-Cleansing Drug for Colonoscopy Prep(07/17/2012, Food and Drug Administration)
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Specific Conditions
- CT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Flexible Sigmoidoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Frequently Asked Questions about Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy(American Cancer Society)
- Understanding Bowel Preparation(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
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Virtual Colonoscopy(National Cancer Institute)
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Related Issues
- Your Doctor Has Ordered a Colonoscopy: What Questions Should You Ask?(American College of Gastroenterology) - PDF
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Pictures & Photographs
- Virtual Colonoscopy(American College of Radiology)
- Return to top
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Tutorials
- Colonoscopy(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Videos
- Colonoscopy(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
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Colonoscopy
(National Cancer Institute)
- Colonoscopy(OR-Live) - Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 12/06/2011
- What to Expect During a Colonoscopy(American College of Gastroenterology)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Sigmoidoscopy(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Colonoscopy(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Sigmoidoscopy
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Research
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Colonoscopy Reduces Risk of Death from Colorectal Cancer in High-Risk Patients(National Cancer Institute)
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Colonoscopy Reduces Risk of Death from Colorectal Cancer in High-Risk Patients
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- ASGE: Find a Doctor(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
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Organizations
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Statistics
- CDC Vital Signs: Colorectal Cancer(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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MedlinePlus Magazine
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Children
- Colonoscopy for Kids(North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Colonoscopy
- Also available in Spanish
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Colonoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Also available in Spanish
- Virtual colonoscopy
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Colonoscopy - Multiple Languages
