Now Available at South Fulton Medical Center

The GI lab at South Fulton Medical Center now has the capability to examine and visualize the small intestine by means of a pill camera. Capsule endoscopy, also know as a pill camera, is an innovative diagnostic tool that allows the physician to examine the lining of the small intestine. The test helps provide early detection and diagnosis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract such as obscure bleeding, Crohn’s disease, malabsorption and intestinal tumors.

The procedure involves the patient swallowing a vitamin-sized disposable miniature video camera contained in a capsule that acts as an endoscope. As the intestinal tract naturally contracts and releases, the capsule moves through the gastrointestinal tract, transmitting color images to a data recorder which the patient wears on a waist belt. This system allows the patient to continue with his or her daily activities while the examination is going on. After about eight hours, the patient returns the data recorder to the GI lab where the information from the recorder is downloaded. The application software enables the physician to view the images on a monitor, save additional images or short clips, and add comments for consultation or reports. The capsule itself id disposable and is naturally eliminated from the body.

Gastrointestinal disease affects millions of people each year in the United States. Diseases of the small intestine are difficult to diagnose due to limitations of current diagnostic tools. These limitations may lead to the patient having to undergo multiple procedures without a definitive diagnosis. With the new technology of capsule endoscopy, images of the small intestine now can be obtained to help the physician diagnose and treat gastrointestinal diseases.