Chapter 13: Diagnostic tests
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Endoscopic investigations
Definition
Occasionally, patients will be required to undergo further invasive diagnostic procedures such as an endoscopy. An endoscopy is the direct visual examination of the GI tract (Figure 13.28) and it may include gastroscopy or colonoscopy. Endoscopy allows the practitioner to evaluate the appearance of the visualized mucosa for the purpose of diagnosis and therapeutic procedures (Chernecky and Berger [32], Pagana and Pagana [177]).
Figure 13.28 Endoscopy. Source: Reproduced with permission of the patient information website of Cancer Research UK (www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerhelp).
