· Capsule Endoscopy uses a miniature camera inside a pill-sized capsule to examine all parts of the small intestine, looking for bleeding sites or tumors.
· EGD (Upper Endoscopy) procedure uses a soft, flexible fiber-optic instrument to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum; a number of therapies can be performed with this instrument as well.
· EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) employs an ultrasound device inside a flexible tube to examine the deeper layers of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, bile duct, pancreas, and gallbladder. Therapeutic uses of this technique include obtaining non-surgical biopsies of difficult-to-reach lesions.
· ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). This is an endoscopic test (see above), during which detailed X-rays can be made of the bile duct and pancreatic duct. Certain therapies, such as removal of stones and placement of stents, can be performed as well.