Which term refers to a medical instrument used to examine the lower rectum and anal canal?

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In examinations of the distal rectum and anal canal, the instrument used is the proctoscope. It is a short, tubular instrument that can be rigid (or occasionally flexible) and is equipped with a light source to directly visualize the mucosa of the lower rectum and anal canal. This lets the clinician assess for conditions such as hemorrhoids, fissures, polyps, or tumors in that region. The other terms aren’t instruments: chyme is the semi-liquid content of partially digested food in the stomach; an ileostomy is a surgical opening from the ileum to the abdominal wall; flatus refers to intestinal gas.