Can endometriosis of the bowel be found during a colonoscopy?

Possibly: Typically endometrial implants are on the outside of the colon and are not commonly seen during a colonoscopy which looks at the inside of the colon. A laparoscopy would be a better test.

Rarely: Endo of the bowel affects about 1/3 of women with endo. Only about 5% of those with bowel endo will have involvement of the lining of the bowel, so it's a very small number. Gi docs aren't always really clued into the GI symptoms of endo, so if you have sharp pain with bowel movements and you have endo, be sure to ask your doc point blank "is this endo of the colon?".

Endometriosis of gut: Most GI doctors consider endometriosis in women with complaints of chronic discomfort. Crampy, nonpelvic pain can be seen in extensive endometriosis, & symptoms do not always intensify prior to or during menses. The disease can mimic inflammatory bowel disease on barium studies. On colonoscopy, submucosal lesions like endometriosis may be polypoid. Endoscopic ultrasound may be of further help.