What Is Capsule Endoscopy?
In capsule endoscopy, you swallow a pill-shaped camera (PillCam) that then travels through your gut and makes pictures of your small intestine (1).
Picture 1. A capsule camera to swallow in capsule endoscopy
(source: Wikipedia)
A capsule camera is 28 mm (about an inch) long and 11 mm wide. It has a slippery coating when wet to ease swallowing a bit. The cost of the camera and procedure is about $500 (without insurance).
When Is It Done?
Capsule endoscopy may be done when small bowel disease like celiac or Crohn’s disease or bowel bleeding that cannot be detected by upper endoscopy or colonoscopy is suspected. Capsule endoscopy can be done in a patient after 10 years of age (2), including pregnant women (3).
continue reading Small Bowel or Capsule Endoscopy – Procedure, Video and Pictures
