Glossary Term:

Title

sigmoidoscope

Phonetic

sig-<b>MOYD</b>-uh-<b>scope</b>

Description

A flexible, lighted tube (about the thickness of a finger) with a small video camera at the end. It is inserted through the anus, into the rectum and into the lower part of the colon. This lets the doctor see the entire rectum, but less than half of the colon to look for cancer or for polyps (small growths that can become cancer).