<p>Please could you provide an overview of endoscopic imaging and its impact on patient care?</p><p>The impact of endoscopic imaging on patient care has been enormous since the first fiber optic systems were introduced more than 50 years ago. Today, high resolution and high definition systems are used to provide clinicians and patients unprecedented images from inside the body.</p><p>An estimated 20 million endoscopic imaging procedures are performed each year in the United States. The most common procedures include colonoscopy, a screening tool for the early detection of colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of death in the United States; upper endoscopy, for the evaluation of ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or inflammation; and endoscopic ultrasound, which enables a highly detailed view of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as surrounding organs including the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and spleen.</p><p>Each of these procedures has helped doctors make more informed decisions about treatment that have improved and saved countless lives. What significant advances have been made in endoscopy over the last 10 years?</p><p><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130703/Endoscopic-imaging-an-interview-with-Len-Farris-Vice-President-of-Marketing-PENTAX-Medical.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p>