Gastroenterologists use several diagnostic tests and procedures to screen for or diagnose digestive issues. These tests allow the doctor to see inside the body or take tissue samples, called biopsies, for more information. Some tests require anesthesia. Gastroenterology tests offered at Ochsner include: ● Advanced endoscopic procedures and interventional endoscopy, a group of tests that use advanced imaging technology to diagnose or screen for a wide range of digestive conditions ● Capsule endoscopy, a diagnostic procedure that uses a pill-shaped camera to take pictures of the digestive tract ● Colonoscopy, a procedure used to view the inside of the lower portions of the gastrointestinal tract with a tiny camera attached to a thin tube ● Double balloon endoscopy, the use of two thin tubes, one within the other, with balloons at the end of each tube that can be inflated to hold the intestine open to get a clearer view of the area ● Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a test to look at the bile ducts ● Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), a test using sound waves and a narrow tube to create an image of a portion of the digestive tract ● Flexible sigmoidoscopy, a procedure used to view a particular part of the colon called the sigmoid ● Gastric emptying tests, a collection of tests that time how long it takes for food to move through your digestive system ● Upper endoscopy, a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera to view the inside of the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract