Endoscopy
What is Endoscopy?
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Endoscopy is a non-surgical diagnostic technique used to investigate patients' symptoms and to help perform different types of surgery within the body. The instrument used to perform this is a long flexible tube where at one end is a camera and a light source and at the other end is a detector. The image is usually shown live on a screen for the doctor to look at .
The endoscope is usually inserted into a natural opening such as the mouth or the anus, or through keyhole surgery. [V2]
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An endoscopy may be used to diagnose digestive problems, bowel/colon problems and assist in the detection of cancer in these areas. [V3]
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How do endoscopes work?
Endoscopes use fibre optics to transmit light to the desired part of the body and to transmit the light back along the endoscope to the receiver. Fibre optics work by taking advantage of a phenomenon called total internal reflection. When the light is travelling inside the tube it bounces off the sides of the tube. All of the light is only reflected when the light hits the sides of the tube at shallow angles - this is total internal reflection. This is how the light travels up and down the endoscope without information being lost. [V4]
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To find out more about total internal reflection click here.
Image Source (NHS)
Safety
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Typically electromagnetic radiation in the visible region poses no risk to human health. High energy blue/ ultraviolet light can cause damage to skin and the human eye due to its shorter wavelength and hence higher energy. [V5]
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Risks of the procedure include infections or damage to organs, though are minimal. [V6]
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Total Internal Reflection
Image Source (BBC)