A new pill-size camera could soon eliminate the use of endoscopy and other invasive techniques for bowel exams. The new capsule camera is swallowed like a pill and records images of the stomach and the small intestine as it passes through the digestive system naturally, according to Photobit Corporation, the manufacturer of the camera's image sensors.
The capsule, which is 11 mm by 30 mm, is equipped with a small light source and a 3 milliwatt sensor. Once swallowed, the M2ATM capsule passes through the body and produces color video of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. An antenna array is attached to the patient and a wireless recorder, which is worn on a belt around the patient's waist, records the signals transmitted by the capsule to the array. A computer will then process the data and images and produce a 20-minute video clip of the images captured on the sensor.
The capsule offers an attractive alternative to the highly invasive imaging technique of endoscopy. When used to check for colon cancer, endoscopy involves inserting a flexible, camera-bearing cable into the rectum and working upward through the patient's GI tract. Researchers have found that the camera capsule is painless and easy to swallow, according to a report in the May 25 issue of Nature. In this study, none of the 10 people who swallowed the capsule reported difficulty swallowing the device or any discomfort from the device as it passed through their intestines.
The camera capsule is awaiting the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
