Gastroscopy vs endoscopy: what is examined?

Endoscopy is a broader term, comprising a wide range of techniques that are used to examine the interior of the human body. It involves the insertion of an imaging device in the form of a tube or scope attached with a camera and light. Endoscopy is of different types based on which part/s of the body are examined. For example, colonoscopy is examination of the colon while gastroscopy is examination of the oesophagus and upper intestinal track. Hence, gastroscopy is a type of endoscopy or part of endoscopy. Different endoscopic procedure may vary slightly in their risk of infection, complications, requirement of sedation, incision, pre-preparations etc.

Endoscopy

In Endoscopy, the endoscopic device can be inserted inside the body through natural entry portal such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and respiratory tract or artificial entry portal created by incision or a cut. Endoscopies are mainly used for screening and detecting diseases and procedures such as biopsy or removal of polyps. 

Gastroscopy

Gastroscopy is a type of endoscopy that examines the upper GI including the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. Hence, it is also called upper GI endoscopy or esophageogastroduodenoscopy (OGD). It is used to investigate problems related to the digestive system including gastric cancer and can also be used for removal of foreign bodies, for instance, accidental ingestion of objects by children. During gastroscopy, the scope is inserted through the mouth.

Doctors may recommend gastroscopy for symptoms such as pain in the stomach, blood in the stool, suspicion of peptic ulcers and cancer.

Complications of gastroscopy include sore throat, temporary loss of gag reflex and anecdotally perforation of the oesophagus or stomach.

Summary of differences between gastroscopy and endoscopy

	Gastroscopy	Endoscopy
Type	Part of endoscopy	A broader term used for techniques used to examine the human body from inside
Body structures examined	Examines the oesophagus and upper GI tract	Examines different parts and structures of the human body depending on the type of endoscopy
Insertion of the tube	Via natural opening (for example, the mouth)	May involve surgical incision
Use of anaesthesia	Performed with sedation or local anaesthesia	May require general anaesthesia
Complications	Lower risk of complications compared to other types of endoscopies	May have more complications depending on the type of endoscopy

Conclusion

Endoscopies are invasive and costly. Hence, alternatives are needed to replace or complement endoscopy, more so in case of gastric cancer screening. GASTROClear blood test is one such alternative that assesses microRNA profile to predict the risk of gastric cancer.