Diagnostic Tests and Procedures

Question 1

endoscopy

Answer 1

examination within a body cavity with a flexible endoscope for diagnosis or treatment; used in the GI tract to detect abnormalities and perform procedures such as biopsies, excision of lesions, dilations of narrowed areas, and removal of swallowed objects

Question 2

esophagoscopy

Answer 2

examination of the esophagus with an esophagoscope

Question 3

gastroscopy

Answer 3

examination of the stomach with a gastroscope

Question 4

upper GI endoscopy

Answer 4

examination of the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum with a flexible endoscope; also known as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or panendoscopy

Question 5

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

Answer 5

endoscopic procedure including xray fluoroscopy to examine the ducts of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas (biliary ducts)

Question 6

laparoscopy

Answer 6

examination of the abdominal cavity with a laparoscope-often including interventional surgical procedures

Question 7

peritoneoscopy

Answer 7

examination of the peritoneal cavity with a pertioneoscope; often performed to examine the liver and obtain a biopsy specimen

Question 8

capsule endoscopy

Answer 8

exam of the small intestine made by a tiny video camera placed in a capsule and swallowed; images are transmitted to a waist-belt recorder and downloaded onto a computer for assessment of possible abnormalities; traditional endoscopy cannot completely access the small intestine because of its length and complexity

Question 9

colonoscopy

Answer 9

exam of the colon using a flexible colonoscompe

Question 10

sigmoidoscopy

Answer 10

exam of the sigmoid colon with a rigid or flexible sigmoidoscope

Question 11

proctoscopy

Answer 11

examination of the rectum and anus with a proctoscope

Question 12

magnetic resonance

Answer 12

nonionizing imaging technique for visualizing the abdominal cavity to identify disease or deformity in the GI tract

Question 13

nuclear medicine

Answer 13

radionuclide organ imaging

Question 14

liver scan

Answer 14

scan of the liver made after injection of radioactive tracers into the bloodstream; used to detect tumors and functional abnormalities

Question 15

radiography

Answer 15

xray imaging

Question 16

upper GI series

Answer 16

xray of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum after the pt has swallowed a contrast medium (barium is most commonly used)

Question 17

barium swallow

Answer 17

xray of the esophagus only; often used to locate swallowed objects

Question 18

fluoroscopy

Answer 18

xray using a fluorescent screen to visualize structures in motion (such as during a barium swallow)

Question 19

small bowel series

Answer 19

xray exam of the small intestine–generally done in conjunction with an upper GI series

Question 20

lower GI series barium enema

Answer 20

xray of the colon after administration of an enema containing a contrast medium

Question 21

cholangiogram

Answer 21

xray of the bile ducts; often performed during surgery

Question 22

cholecystogram

Answer 22

xray of the gallbladder taken after oral ingestion of iodine

Question 23

CT of abdomen

Answer 23

cross-sectional xray of the abdomen used to identify a condition or anomaly within the GI tract (eg tumor, injury)

Question 24

CT colonography

Answer 24

computed tomographic image of the colon performed as an alternative to traditional invasive colonoscopy; aka virtual colonoscopy

Question 25

sonography

Answer 25

ultrasound imaging

Question 26

abdominal sonogram

Answer 26

ultrasound image of the abdomen to detect disease or deformity in organs and vascular structures (eg liver, pancreas, gallbladder, spleen, aorta)

Question 27

endoscopic sonography

Answer 27

endoscopic procedure using a sonographic transducer within an endoscope to examine a body cavity and make sonographic images of structures and tissues