Breakthrough Tool For Gastrointestinal Imaging
Swallow this Camera

Owen Murphy of Mastic Beach had a colonoscoy, enteroscopy and a gastroscopy. None of these procedures could locate the source of his internal bleeding. His doctor at St. Francis Hospital, in Roslyn, recommended a new, non-invasive procedure called capsule endoscopy, and Mr. Murphy became the first patient at St. Francis to undergo this breakthrough technique.

In a scene right out of the movie “Fantastic Voyage,” this tool for diagnosing gastrointestinal disorders is being used at St. Francis Hospital at the Rose and Joseph Eletto Endoscopy Unit. Capsule endoscopy is performed using a disposable miniature video camera contained in a “pill” swallowed by the patient. The single-use capsule passes naturally through the digestive tract, transmitting high-quality color images to a recording belt worn around the waist, without interfering with the patient's normal activities. It is eliminated naturally the next day.

Mr. Murphy had no problem swallowing the pill. “I was calling myself “Captain Video,” he remembered. He returned the recording belt to the doctor after wearing it for eight hours, and 60,000 recorded images of the digestive tract taken by the video pill were then analyzed on a computer. Images from capsule endoscopy are so clear that a doctor can detect abnormalities as small as one-tenth of a millimeter in size. It is the only non-invasive method for direct visualization of the entire small intestine, and it eliminates the need for invasive procedures and lengthy recoveries.

This breakthrough tool received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration in August 2001, and more than 65,000 capsules have been used in clinical practice. The video pill can help diagnose a range of intestinal diseases including ulcers, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, benign and malignant tumors, and irritable bowel syndrome. In many cases, it is the only way to diagnose chronic but elusive lower intestinal ailments. Previously, doctors had to rely on X-rays, enteroscopies that could only go one third of the way into the small intestine, or for a definitive answer, exploratory surgery.

Private and public insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, reimburse for the treatment. And, in November 2003, the FDA also cleared capsule endoscopy for pediatric use in children ages 10 –18. Utilizing capsule endoscopy, a patient can receive non-invasive diagnosis of the small intestine, with better diagnostic results while eliminating unnecessary sedation, radiation, risks and trauma associated with invasive procedures.

“Capsule endoscopy is a safe, effective and compassionate method for diagnosing small bowel disorders. Many patients have had significant improvement in their lives,” said Gastroenterologist Jack Soterakis, M.D., Director of Medicine at St. Francis Hospital, and Mr. Murphy’s doctor. That was good news for Owen Murphy. “Capsule endoscopy was able to locate the source of his bleeding immediately—and his treatment was a success. It’s an amazing technology. It means quicker diagnosis and cure. For Mr. Murphy, it meant a real difference in his quality of life.”

Dr. Soterakis can be reached at (516) 365-4949.