Gastroscopy vs Colonoscopy Differences: What’s the Difference?
If your doctor has recommended an endoscopy, you may be wondering about the gastroscopy vs colonoscopy differences and why one procedure has been recommended instead of the other. Although both procedures use a flexible camera to examine the digestive system, they investigate completely different areas of the body.
A gastroscopy examines the upper digestive tract, while a colonoscopy examines the large intestine and rectum. Understanding this distinction can make it easier to understand what your doctor is looking for and what to expect from your procedure.
Mackenzie Endoscopy Centre provides both gastroscopy and colonoscopy at its outpatient facility in Woodbridge, Ontario, serving patients from Woodbridge, Vaughan and surrounding communities. The centre’s specialists provide consultation, diagnosis and treatment for a range of gastrointestinal conditions.
Gastroscopy vs Colonoscopy Differences
The simplest way to understand the difference is to look at which part of the digestive system each procedure examines.
A gastroscopy, also called an upper GI endoscopy or EGD, examines the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. During the procedure, a thin flexible camera is passed through the mouth and carefully guided through the upper digestive tract. Gastroscopy may be recommended when a doctor needs to investigate symptoms such as persistent heartburn, acid reflux, abdominal pain, ulcers or difficulty swallowing.
A colonoscopy examines the colon and rectum. The flexible camera is inserted through the rectum and allows the physician to examine the lining of the large intestine. Colonoscopy may be recommended to investigate symptoms such as rectal bleeding or changes in bowel habits, and it is also an important procedure for colorectal cancer screening and follow-up after an abnormal FIT result.
Another important difference is what can be done during the examination. During either procedure, the physician may take a small tissue sample, known as a biopsy, if an area requires further investigation. During colonoscopy, polyps can also be removed when appropriate.
Why Would a Doctor Recommend One Procedure?
The procedure your doctor recommends will depend largely on your symptoms, medical history and the area of the digestive system that needs to be examined.
For example, someone experiencing persistent heartburn or difficulty swallowing may be referred for a gastroscopy because the physician needs to examine the upper digestive tract. Someone experiencing rectal bleeding or requiring investigation following an abnormal FIT may instead require a colonoscopy.
The two procedures are therefore not competing alternatives. They answer different medical questions.
In some situations, a physician may recommend both procedures if symptoms or medical history suggest that both the upper and lower digestive systems need to be examined.
What About Sedation?
Both procedures can involve sedation or anesthesia to help patients remain comfortable. Mackenzie Endoscopy Centre states that appropriate sedation or anesthesia is provided for pain-free procedures, with patients monitored during recovery afterwards.
For gastroscopy at Mackenzie, patients receive an intravenous sedative and a local anesthetic spray to the throat. The centre advises that patients should arrange for another adult to take them home after sedation and should not drive or operate machinery for the rest of the day.
Colonoscopy at Mackenzie also involves intravenous sedation or anesthesia. Patients are monitored following the examination until the effects have worn off.
Which Procedure Do You Need?
The answer depends on what your doctor needs to investigate. Gastroscopy is designed to examine the upper digestive tract, while colonoscopy examines the colon and rectum.
If you have been referred for either procedure and are unsure why it has been recommended, your referring doctor or the endoscopy centre can explain what the examination involves.
Mackenzie Endoscopy Centre provides gastroscopy and colonoscopy from its Woodbridge facility at 3865 Major MacKenzie Dr. W., Units 109-110. The clinic also provides flexible sigmoidoscopy and hemorrhoid treatment on a referral basis.