Abstract: A video equipped endoscope having a solid state image sensor mounted in the distal end of an insertion tube that is connected to a video processor. The active diathermal lead of an electrosurgical generator also passes through the insertion tube in close proximity with the video components. To protect the video from the radio frequency diathermy signals, the image sensor and the video and service leads are both placed in a conductive shield that is electrically connected to the chassis of the video processor. The chassis is, in turn, electrically connected to the RF ground reference point on the electrosurgical generator whereby any radio frequency alternating current flowing through the stray capacitance between the active diathermal lead and the conductive sheath of the insertion tube as well as the conductive shield over the image sensor and service leads or RF current or voltage potentials induced by electrostatic or electromagnetic coupling between the active lead and these components are returned.