Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Colonoscopia
Colonoscopy (KOH-luh-NOS-koh-pee)
Examination of the inside of the colon using a colonoscope, inserted into the rectum. A colonoscope 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.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.