endoscope

noun

en·​do·​scope ˈen-də-ˌskōp 

: an illuminated usually fiber-optic flexible or rigid tubular instrument for visualizing the interior of a hollow organ or part (such as the bladder or esophagus) for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes that typically has one or more channels to enable passage of instruments (such as forceps or scissors)

endoscopy

en-ˈdä-skə-pē 

noun

Did you know?

The Greek prefix endo- means "within, inside", so around 1860 an early crude instrument for looking deep inside the body was named the endoscope. But modern endoscopy required the invention of the electric lightbulb and then fiber-optic cable, so the first modern endoscopes date only to 1967. An endoscope may be inserted through a natural passageway (for example, through the nose or down the esophagus) or through a tiny cut in the skin. A tiny camera with a light at the end of the cable sends back images onto a screen, and the surgeon uses special instruments that work through a tube alongside the cable. There are now specialized types of endoscopes for every part of the body, where they can take tissue samples, cut out small growths, or remove foreign objects.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

In this procedure, a long, flexible camera called an endoscope is inserted through the mouth, and goes through the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. —Douglas G. Adler, Discover Magazine, 13 Nov. 2019

The endoscope - an expensive tube with a camera on its end exploring your nether regions - shows a rocky, Mars-like terrain in the ileum. —Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2012

The sensor is meant to be an alternative to the endoscope — a long, thin tube with a camera that is typically threaded through a person’s mouth and throat, down into their digestive tract. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2022

In certain procedures, operating with an endoscope can minimize scarring, bruising, and swelling for quicker recovery times. —Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2022

Traditionally, a colonoscopy requires snaking a flexible tube with a camera — an endoscope — through the intestine to look for early signs of colon cancer. —James Gaines, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022

The procedure is a hat trick of surgical adjustments that enable Kao to vertically reposition the face from top to bottom using a fiber-optic endoscope: a miniature camera attached to the tip of a long, thin tube. —Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2022

An enteroscopy is used to examine the small intestine with a specialized endoscope that can reach further down your GI tract and give a better view of the area. —Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 13 Jan. 2022

The endoscope goes down your esophagus and gives your doctor a good look at your throat, stomach, and duodenum (the beginning of your small intestine) to see if there is any inflammation or bleeding. —Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 13 Jan. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

endoscope

noun

en·​do·​scope ˈen-də-ˌskōp 

: a tubular medical instrument that allows the interior of a hollow organ or body part to be seen

endoscopic

ˌen-də-ˈskäp-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

endoscope

noun

en·​do·​scope ˈen-də-ˌskōp 

: an illuminated usually fiber-optic flexible or rigid tubular instrument for visualizing the interior of a hollow organ or part (as the bladder or esophagus) for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes that typically has one or more channels to enable passage of instruments (as forceps or scissors)

endoscopy

en-ˈdäs-kə-pē 

noun

plural endoscopies