The importance of endoscopic examinations from the perspective of a routine health checkup performed once a year

In Japan, stomach and colon cancer are both known to be high-incidence cancers, and it is an important issue to find and treat them as early as possible. This situation is not unrelated to living abroad either, and it is one of the health risks that you should be aware of as well.

The eating habits in Hanoi are characterized by heavy use of fat and spices, as well as stalls and street food, all of which can be taxing on the stomach and intestines. Additionally, the unique stressors of living abroad—such as language and cultural differences and irregular schedules—can also disrupt the digestive system.Even if you experience bloating or irregular bowel movements, you might end up dismissing it as just "normal fatigue" or "just because you're not used to the lifestyle."However, there are often underlying conditions such as chronic gastritis and intestinal disorders that can be present. Therefore, in addition to blood tests and stool tests, endoscopic examinations that allow direct examination of the digestive tract play an important role in health checkups.

On the other hand, there may be many people who have a negative image of a gastroscopy, thinking that it is a painful procedure and that it used to be very difficult. However,Endoscopic equipment has evolved significantly in the last few decades.The stomach camera of the 1950s was a method of burning a flash inside the stomach and photographing it on film. Until it was developed, the results were not known. The fiber scope, which appeared in the 1960s, enabled real-time observation, but the images were in a grid pattern and never very high resolution.

In the 1980s, electronic endoscopes (video scopes) equipped with CCD sensors became popular, allowing multiple people to observe simultaneously on a monitor. Image quality also improved dramatically, and the accuracy of diagnosis also changed significantly. Currently, in addition to increasing image resolution, observation techniques that highlight blood vessels and mucosal structures are being developed, and AI is also advancing to the stage where it assists in lesion detection.

Even from the perspective of a clinical engineer working with equipment,Current endoscopy is evolving from "looking at things" to "preventing missed diagnoses."I can truly feel that. In addition, the diameter of the scope itself has been reduced, and there are now more options available to reduce the burden during examinations. Currently, we have the option to choose the method of examination—whether it be through the nose, orally, or with or without sedation.

In recent years, Vietnam has made progress in developing medical personnel and improving educational systems, and the standards of technology and safety management related to endoscopic medicine are steadily improving. In addition to improving equipment performance, improvements have also been made in cleaning and disinfection systems and testing environments, making endoscopic examinations safer and more accessible than before.

The risk of developing stomach and colon cancer, changes in living environments, and the advancement of endoscopic medicine all contribute to this.The importance of endoscopic examinations has increased even more than before.You could say that.Health checkups are not done after abnormalities are detected; they are a habit to check one's own condition before abnormalities appear.Therefore, I hope that you will take advantage of the internal examination as part of your annual health checkup and use it as a way to ensure that you can continue to live abroad with peace of mind.

Overseas eating habits and unique stressors increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems.

Endoscopes have evolved with advancements in high-definition imaging and AI, significantly improving safety and diagnostic accuracy.

It is important to make it a habit to undergo tests before any abnormalities appear to ensure peace of mind.

Japan Green Vietnam Clinic
Japan Green Vietnam Clinic

O Akioji Clinical Engineer

After obtaining the clinical engineering technician license, he worked at the Kurashiki Adult Diseases Center for about five years. His responsibilities included endoscopic procedures, surgical room operations, and medical equipment management, and he accumulated extensive clinical experience, ranging from providing support for medical consultations to safely operating and maintaining equipment.