Colon Polyp Glossary

Abdomen (AB-duh-men): The area between the chest and the hips. It contains the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen.

Anus (AY-nus): The opening through which stool leaves the body.

Benign (buh-NINE): Not cancerous.

Colonoscopy (koh-luh-NAW-skuh-pee): A test to look inside the entire large intestine. The doctor uses a flexible tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera. This device is called a colonoscope.

Large intestine: A long, hollow tube in your body that makes and stores stool. Also called the colon.

Polyp (PAH-lip): An extra piece of tissue that grows inside the body.

Rectum (REK-tum): The last section of the large intestine, leading to the anus.

Sigmoidoscopy (SIG-moy-DAW-skuh-pee): A test to look inside the lower section of the large intestine. The doctor uses a flexible tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera. The device is called a sigmoidoscope.

Stool: The solid waste that passes through the rectum as a bowel movement.

source: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colonpolyps_ez/index.htm