Visual examination of the stomach is called?

• A. Endoscopy
• B. Gastroscopy
• C. Colonoscopy
• D. Laparoscopy

Answer: (B)

Endoscopy is the general technique of visually inspecting the interior of hollow organs with an endoscope. When the focus is the stomach, the procedure is called gastroscopy, or upper GI endoscopy, because it targets the stomach (and often the esophagus and duodenum as part of the same exam). The term gastroscopy is specific to the stomach, whereas other terms refer to different organs—colonoscopy for the colon, laparoscopy for viewing the abdominal cavity through small incisions, and endoscopy as a broad category. So for visual examination of the stomach specifically, gastroscopy is the precise name.