Colonoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that allows your doctor to visually examine the inside of the colon for irregularities. He accomplishes this by inserting a tube with a tiny camera on the end into the anus and through the colon. He views the images from the camera either through the instrument or on a display monitor.

The surgeons at Valley Colorectal Surgeons typically perform a colonoscopy to investigate irregularities found on an X-ray or CT scan, for patients with abdominal pain or blood in the stool, the most common colon cancer symptoms. Colonoscopy, also known as colon cancer screening, may also be performed regularly for people with increased risk of developing polyps, which can lead to colorectal cancer.