- Title: ISRAEL: Israeli scientists invent 'pill camera' which can examine patients
- Date: 19th August 2003
- Summary: (EU) GIVATAYIM, ISRAEL (AUGUST 19, 2003) (REUTERS) CLOSE OF DATA RECORDER SLV AVI SHAKED, OWNER OF 'INSIDE BODY' (A COMPANY THAT PURCHASES CAPSULES FROM GIVEN IMAGING AND PROVIDES SERVICES), ATTENDING TO PATIENT YITZHAK SEGEL AT HIS HOME WIDE OF SHAKED PREPARING PATIENT CLOSE OF SHAKED APPLYING SENSORS TO SEGEL, SCU SEGEL'S FACE VARIOUS OF SHAKED BUCKLING BELT ON TO SEGEL'S WAIST CLOSE OF BELT CONTAINING RECIEVER WHICH PICKS UP SIGNALS FROM EXAMINATION CLOSE OF SHAKED CHECKING SEGEL CLOSE OF SEGEL HOLDING 2'5-CENTIMETRE-LONG CAPSULE WITH FLASHLIGHT SLV SEGEL PLACING CAPSULE IN MOUTH, THEN TAKING SIP OF WATER ANIMATED GRAPH OF HOW CAPSULE TRAVELS THROUGH INTESTINE SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) YITZHAK SEGEL, PATIENT, SAYING: "I did all kinds of tests like colonoscopies, then something would get stuck, they could never reach the end. Then I had to do a barium enema, then they strapped me to a table, then they made me stand up on my legs, and made me stand on my head. I really suffered, physically suffering, and things like that" WIDE OF THE SEGELS SEATED AT THEIR HOME (EU) HADERA, ISRAEL (SEPTEMBER 4, 2003) (REUTERS) WIDE OF DOCTOR ZVI FIREMAN, HEAD OF THE GASTROENTEROLOGY UNIT AT HILLEL-YAFE MEDICAL CENTER, AT HIS DESK CLOSE OF FIREMAN'S HANDS WORKING WITH EQUIPMENT CLOSE OF COMPUTER SCREEN WITH IMAGES OF INTESTINAL EXAMINATION VARIOUS OF INTESTINE EXAMINATION ON COMPUTER SCREEN SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. ZVI FIREMAN SAYING: "The video capsule examination is easy because it's a ambulatory base, the patient comes from the community, is not invasive procedure. The patient after he got capsule and he got the recorder, he go home or to work. And if we compare it to other examinations like endoscopy or X-ray, the patient comes to the clinic and he need to stay here, he gets a tranquilliser, it's an invasive procedure and patients don't like it. It's even sometimes unpleasant and usually the patient lost a day of work. So the capsule has all the advantage and most of the patients like it compared to other examinations. And we also like, it's very very easy examination for the patient and for us." (EU) GIVATAYIM, ISRAEL (AUGUST 19, 2003) (REUTERS) INTESTINE EXAMINATION ON COMPUTER SCREEN WIDE OF SHAKED SEATED AT COMPUTER AT HIS 'INSIDE BODY' OFFICE SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHAKED SAYING: "About sixty thousand images during this eight hours and it's of course extracting the findings. It's generate a very professional report which include all images are printed out on a printer and contain a CD-Rom with the visual images for the patient and his doctor." CLOSE OF COMPUTER CHIP WIDE OF COMPUTER CHIP BEING LIFTED FROM TRAY SLV SCIENTIST LOOKING INTO MICROSCOPE CLOSE OF FLASHING M2A CAPSULE WIDE OF SCIENTISTS HOLDING TRAY OF M2A CAPSULES CLOSE OF SCIENTIST WEARING MASK WIDE OF SCIENTIST WATCHING MONITOR CLOSE OF EXTERIOR OF GIVEN IMAGING BUILDING WITH LOGO WIDE OF EXTERIOR VARIOUS OF WOMEN BEING WHEELED ALONG CORRIDOR FOR PROCEDURE WIDE OF ENTRANCE AND PATIENTS
- Embargoed: 3rd September 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GIVATAYIM & HADERA, ISRAEL
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Quirky,Technology
- Reuters ID: LVA6S7TMAKK0R4A7JS9E7WP9UIV7
- Story Text: Israeli scientists have invented a miniature camera to explore the bowels internally Israeli scientists have invented a capsule that travels through the body and produces full-colour images, enabling painless gastrointestinal diagnoses.
The unique M2A capsule, developed by Given Imaging Ltd.
of Yokneam, Israel, contains a miniature video camera, flashing light, battery and computer chip.
The M2A capsule passes naturally through the digestive tract, transmitting high quality colour images without interfering with the patient's normal activities.
Miniature electronics and complementary technology allow the capsule to transmit high-quality video images which enable doctors to observe a range of disorders of the small intestine.
After fasting for eight hours, the patient swallows the
5-centimetre-long capsule with a glass of water, and then buckles on a belt bearing a wireless recorder.
The recorder receives signals as the capsule (which is not affected by the highly acidic environment of the gastrointestinal system) is propelled through the small intestine by peristalsis, the natural contracting motions of the digestive system.
The patient may conduct his or her normal daily activities, including eating, working, playing, and sleeping, until the capsule is discharged from the body along with the stool.
Doctor Zvi Fireman, Head of the Gastroenterology Unit at Hillel-Yafe medical centre says the procedure benefits patients for many reasons.
"The video capsule examination is easy because it's a ambulatory base, the patient comes from the community, is not invasive procedure. The patient after he got capsule and he got the recorder, he go home or to work. And if we compare it to other examinations like endoscopy or X-ray, the patient comes to the clinic and he need to stay here, he gets a tranquilliser, it's an invasive procedure and patients don't like it. It's even sometimes unpleasant and usually the patient lost a day of work. So the capsule has all the advantage and most of the patients like it compared to other examinations. And we also like, it's very very easy examination for the patient and for us."
It is then retrieved and taken to a special computer workstation, where the images are processed using Given Imaging's RAPID (Reporting and Processing of Images and Data) software.
The end product is a short video clip of the small intestine together with additional relevant information from the digestive tract.
Avi Shaked, is the owner of Inside Body, a company that purchases capsules from Given Imaging and provides services like a professional report on CD-Rom once then procedure is complete.
"About sixty thousand images during this eight hours and it's of course extracting the findings. It's generate a very professional report which include all images are printed out on a printer and contain a CD-Rom with the visual images for the patient and his doctor," said Shaked.
The process enables gastroenterologists to find sources of unexplained bleeding, abnormal growths, as well as signs of irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions, which may then be treated as necessary.
Although it is not expected to replace endoscopies or colonoscopies, which can be utilized for treatment (e.g., taking biopsies and pinching off pre-cancerous polyps) as well as for diagnosis - the developers believe that the new technology will save the health system considerable money, as less accurate and painful endoscopies are much more costly than the $300 capsule.
Company officials believe the device will eventually play a significant part in gastroenterological medicine. To get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, the device will be tested on 20 patients in London, New York and Israel.
It is not yet planned to be used on patients who are pregnant, have had major abdominal operations, a history of abdominal obstruction, pacemakers or diabetes For some patients like Yitzhak Segel, the gentle procedure is welcome.
"I did all kinds of tests like colonoscopies, then something would get stuck, they could never reach the end.
Then I had to do a barium enema, then they strapped me to a table, then they made me stand up on my legs, and made me stand on my head. I really suffered, physically suffering, and things like that.", said Segel.
The clinical trials will determine whether the wireless capsule technology can detect pathologies that are notoriously difficult to diagnose.
The system received clearance from the FDA in August 2001 and received permission to affix the CE mark in May 2001.
Distribution channels for the system have been established in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Australia with its growing population of 19 million people is one of a rising number of countries that have approved reimbursement of capsule endoscopy.
The FDA has now cleared the Given Diagnostic System as a first-line tool in the detection of abnormalities of the small bowel.
To date over 52,000 patients worldwide have swallowed the M2A and have been used in clinical practice of Capsule Endoscopy. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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