A Camera in Your Throat

Medgadget, the internet journal of emerging medical technologies, reported that the FDA has just approved the PillCam ESO 2, a capsule endoscope from Given Imaging Ltd. of Israel. The camera capsule will be marketed in the US by Johnson and Johnson through InScope.

The PillCam capsule is designed to view the inner lining of the esophagus. The capsule is the same size as a multi-vitamin, about a centimeter in width, so it can be swallowed easily.

How it works

According to Medgadget, three sensors are placed on a patient's chest and connected to a data recorder. The patient then swallows the pill while lying down and is raised in a series of inclinations for a period of 5 minutes. During this time, the PillCam travels through the esophagus, capturing images of the inner lining of the esophagus at the rate of 18 frames per second. The PillCam transmits the images wirelessly and is captured by the sensors.

The images then travel from the sensors to the DataRecorder. The portable DataRecorder downloads the images to a workstation where physicians can view and assess the results to be able to recommend the next possible steps for the patient's treatment. The patient can get up and walk or remain seated for an additional 15 minutes in order to make sure that the capsule has traveled the entire esophagus. The pill is then naturally excreted after it drops into the stomach.

Uses of the PillCam

The Medgadget article states that the images captured can help identify potential abnormalities like Esophagitis, a condition wherein there is inflammation of the lining of the esophagus caused by Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. The PillCam can also help identify symptoms of Barrett's esophagus, which can occur as an effect of abnormal cell growth in the lower esophagus which can lead to cancer.

New features

The PillCam ESO 2 features improved image quality, a 21% increase in the angle of view, providing physicians more than a 100 percent increase in mucosal tissue coverage, an added Automatic Light Control (ALC) to provide optimal illumination for each image, increased capture rate of 18 frames per second (fps) over the 14 fps of the previous model and up to 30 minutes operating time.

Given Imaging is a global leader in capsule endoscopy, the Company currently has three commercially available capsules: the PillCam SB video capsule to visualize the entire small intestine, the predecessor of PillCam ESO 2, the PillCam ESO video capsule, to visualize the esophagus; and the Agile™ patency capsule to determine the free passage of the PillCam capsule in the GI tract.

SOURCE:

PillCam ESO 2, Medgadget.com, URL (http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/06/pillcam_eso_2.html)

Given Imaging Press Release, URL (http://www.marketwire.com/2.0/release.do?id=742141)