gastroenterology
Sign in to saveGastroenterology (from the Greek gastḗr- "belly", -énteron "intestine", and -logía "study of") is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract, sometimes referred to as the GI tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine as well as the accessory organs of digestion which include the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver.
AI overview
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine that studies and treats disorders of the digestive system, which includes the stomach, intestines, and related organs like the liver and pancreas. It matters because the digestive system is essential to breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, so gastroenterologists help diagnose and treat problems that affect how our bodies process what we eat.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Medical speciality.title
- Gastroenterology
- Medical speciality.image
- Digestive system diagram en.svg
- Medical speciality.caption
- Illustration of the digestive system
- Medical speciality.system
- Gastrointestinal
- Medical speciality.diseases
- Gastrointestinal cancers, Gastrointestinal bleeding, Liver cirrhosis, Gallstones, Gastroenteritis, Inflammatory bowel disease
- Medical speciality.tests
- Colonoscopy, Stool test, Barium swallows, Endoscopy
- Medical speciality.specialist
- Gastroenterologist
- Medical speciality.glossary
- Glossary of medicine
- Occupation.name
- Gastroenterologist
- Occupation.official_names
- Physician
- Occupation.type
- Specialty
Article
23 sectionsContents
- History
- 18th century
- 19th century
- 20th century
- 21st century
- Disease classification
- Procedures
- Colonoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Ultrasound and Bowel Ultrasound
- Disorders
- Esophagus
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Barrett's esophagus
- Education and training
- United States
- Scope of practice
- Subspecialties
- Professional organizations
- Academic journals
- References
Gastroenterology (from the Greek gastḗr- "belly", -énteron "intestine", and -logía "study of") is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract, sometimes referred to as the GI tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine as well as the accessory organs of digestion which include the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver.
The digestive system functions to move material through the GI tract via peristalsis, break down that material via digestion, absorb nutrients for use throughout the body, and remove waste from the body via defecation. Physicians who specialize in the medical specialty of gastroenterology are called gastroenterologists or sometimes GI doctors.