Which term matches the definition: The first of three sections of the colon; a C-shaped segment about nine inches long?

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The term described is duodenum. It is the first part of the small intestine, about nine inches long, and it forms a distinctive C-shaped loop around the head of the pancreas. That combination of length and shape fits the definition precisely. The other options don’t describe an anatomical segment: a sigmoidoscopy is a procedure to view the sigmoid colon, a cholecystectomy is surgical removal of the gallbladder, and peptic relates to ulcers in the stomach or proximal small intestine rather than a specific anatomical part.