Endoscopy is already known as a nightmare for most people, and it was about time that technology did something about it. German scientists from the Fraunhofer-Institut für Biomedizinische Technik have announced that images of your intestines can now be taken in a more pleasurable manner, and all the patient has to do is to swallow a pill that has a small camera inside.
The device is not new to the medical world, but until now, the pill’s movement could not be controlled, to take snapshots that were of particular interest for the doctors. But now, the candy-sized camera can be successfully directed, and the procedure of such an intervention is quite simple. The camera will transmit images of the intestinal villi to an external receiver carried by the patient on its belt or pocket.
All the images are stored on the receiver, and the doctor will download and analyze them at the patient’s next visit. The only problem is that it’s not suitable for taking pictures of the stomach or esophagus, as its 5 grams weight quickly takes it to the next steps of digestion. It will, however, deliver pictures of your other intestines, and, as far as I can see, this is much better than having inserted a tube through either parts of your body…
