An endoscopy system comprising: a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for engagement with an interior wall of a patient's colon when inflated to a first engagement pressure; and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate said balloon to said first engagement pressure; wherein: the first engagement pressure is a slidable frictional engagement pressure, with the balloon being configured for slidable frictional engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon and axial stretching of said interior wall and to at least partially unfold natural folds of said interior wall when inflated to the slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along said patient's colon; the balloon inflation subsystem is operative to inflate said balloon to a second engagement pressure different from the first engagement pressure, with the second engagement pressure being an anchoring pressure within a predetermined range of anchoring pressures, with the balloon being configured for anchoring engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon when inflated to the anchoring engagement pressure; and the balloon inflation subsystem comprises a user interface configured to effect selection by an operator between the anchoring pressure and the slidable fictional engagement pressure, whereby switching between an anchoring state and a slidable frictional engagement pressure state of the balloon is performable by an operator as needed during an endoscopy procedure; characterized in that said balloon inflation subsystem is operative to automatically maintain inflation of said balloon at said slidable frictional engagement pressure at various balloon locations along the length of said patient's colon, notwithstanding variations in the cross sectional area of said patient's colon at such locations. a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for engagement with an interior wall of a patient's colon when inflated to a first engagement pressure; and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate said balloon to said first engagement pressure; wherein: the first engagement pressure is a slidable frictional engagement pressure, with the balloon being configured for slidable frictional engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon and axial stretching of said interior wall and to at least partially unfold natural folds of said interior wall when inflated to the slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along said patient's colon; the balloon inflation subsystem is operative to inflate said balloon to a second engagement pressure different from the first engagement pressure, with the second engagement pressure being an anchoring pressure within a predetermined range of anchoring pressures, with the balloon being configured for anchoring engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon when inflated to the anchoring engagement pressure; and the balloon inflation subsystem comprises a user interface configured to effect selection by an operator between the anchoring pressure and the slidable fictional engagement pressure, whereby switching between an anchoring state and a slidable frictional engagement pressure state of the balloon is performable by an operator as needed during an endoscopy procedure; the first engagement pressure is a slidable frictional engagement pressure, with the balloon being configured for slidable frictional engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon and axial stretching of said interior wall and to at least partially unfold natural folds of said interior wall when inflated to the slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along said patient's colon; the balloon inflation subsystem is operative to inflate said balloon to a second engagement pressure different from the first engagement pressure, with the second engagement pressure being an anchoring pressure within a predetermined range of anchoring pressures, with the balloon being configured for anchoring engagement with the interior wall of the patient's colon when inflated to the anchoring engagement pressure; and the balloon inflation subsystem comprises a user interface configured to effect selection by an operator between the anchoring pressure and the slidable fictional engagement pressure, whereby switching between an anchoring state and a slidable frictional engagement pressure state of the balloon is performable by an operator as needed during an endoscopy procedure; characterized in that said balloon inflation subsystem is operative to automatically maintain inflation of said balloon at said slidable frictional engagement pressure at various balloon locations along the length of said patient's colon, notwithstanding variations in the cross sectional area of said patient's colon at such locations.