Coloscopy or colonoscopy? The word explained
In short
Coloscopy and colonoscopy are two names for the same examination. A doctor passes a thin, flexible tube with a camera, called a colonoscope, through the anus to inspect the lining of the whole large bowel (the colon and rectum). They can remove polyps or take samples during the same test. Colonoscopy is the usual English form, particularly in the United States. Coloscopy follows the spelling used in many European languages, such as coloscopie in French and Dutch and Koloskopie in German. It is also common among people who read medical information in English as a second language.
What this page covers
- Where the word comes from
- The word in other languages
- Look-alike words that mean something different
- What the test is, in one paragraph
Where the word comes from
Both forms come from Greek. Kolon is the large intestine, and skopein means to look at or examine. Colo-scopy joins the two directly. Colon-o-scopy keeps the full English word colon and adds a linking vowel, the same pattern as gastroscopy or laparoscopy. Neither is wrong. They are simply two routes to the same term, and dictionaries list both.
This site uses coloscopy throughout and treats the two as interchangeable.
The word in other languages
| Language | Term | Everyday phrase, if different |
|---|---|---|
| English | colonoscopy, coloscopy | bowel camera test, "scope" |
| French | coloscopie | |
| Dutch | coloscopie | darmonderzoek |
| German | Koloskopie | Darmspiegelung |
| Spanish | colonoscopia | |
| Portuguese | colonoscopia | |
| Italian | colonscopia | |
| Swedish, Danish, Norwegian | koloskopi | tarmundersøgelse (Danish) |
| Polish | kolonoskopia | |
| Turkish | kolonoskopi | |
| Greek | κολονοσκόπηση (kolonoskópisi) |
If you are being treated in a country whose language you do not read well, the procedure name on your letter will probably be one of these. Your preparation instructions, especially timings and the clear-fluid rules, are the part worth having translated properly. Many units can provide an interpreter on request. See accommodations for how to ask for support.
Look-alike words that mean something different
| Word | What it is |
|---|---|
| Colposcopy | An examination of the cervix with a magnifying instrument, usually after an abnormal cervical screening (smear) test. It has nothing to do with the bowel. The two words are easily confused. |
| CT colonography | A CT scan of the bowel after a prep, sometimes called "virtual colonoscopy". No scope is passed. A positive result usually leads to a coloscopy. See alternatives. |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | A shorter scope examination of the rectum and the lower left colon only, usually with an enema rather than a full prep. |
| Proctoscopy | A brief look at the anal canal and lower rectum with a short rigid tube, often in clinic. |
| Gastroscopy (upper endoscopy, OGD, EGD) | A scope passed through the mouth to examine the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It is sometimes done on the same day as a coloscopy. |
| Capsule endoscopy / colon capsule | A swallowed camera pill. The colon version needs a full prep, and polyps cannot be removed during it. |
| Endoscopy | The umbrella term for any examination with an endoscope. Coloscopy is one type. |
What the test is, in one paragraph
After a day of clear liquids and a bowel-cleansing preparation, you lie on your left side, usually with sedation. The endoscopist guides the scope around the colon to the caecum, where the small bowel joins, then withdraws it slowly while inspecting the lining. Any polyps are usually removed on the spot. The examination itself typically takes 20 to 40 minutes. You go home the same day with someone to accompany you. For the full picture, start with what a coloscopy is and a step-by-step walkthrough.
Common worries, briefly addressed
My letter says coloscopy but my friend had a colonoscopy. Are they different tests?
No. They are the same procedure under two spellings.
Is a coloscopy the same as a colposcopy?
No. A colposcopy examines the cervix. A coloscopy examines the bowel. If you are unsure which you have been booked for, the preparation instructions make it obvious: only a coloscopy needs a bowel prep.
Is a coloscopy a test or a treatment?
Both. It is a diagnostic test, and it can also be a treatment, because polyps can be removed and bleeding sites treated during the same examination. See screening, diagnostic, and surveillance.
Does a coloscopy hurt?
Most people having sedation remember little or no discomfort. Cramping at the bends of the colon is the most common sensation. See pain and discomfort, during and after and sedation options.
Sources
- Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster: entries for colonoscopy and coloscopy
- World Endoscopy Organization: standardised terminology for gastrointestinal endoscopy
- European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: patient information resources