A capsule endoscopy is an imaging test for the small intestine that uses a camera the size of a pill.
During the procedure, the patient swallows a tiny video capsule the size of a large pill that contains one or two video chips, a light bulb, a battery and a radio transmitter. The capsule takes photographs of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine as it passes through your digestive tract, allowing for complete exploration. The radio transmitter sends the photographs to a small receiver worn on the patient’s waist.
Approximately 24 hours later, the photographs are downloaded from the receiver into a computer, and the doctor reviews the images. The capsule is passed by the patient into the toilet and flushed away.
The capsule endoscopy procedure is usually well-accepted and tolerated.
For capsule endoscopy, the intestines are first cleared of residual food and bacterial debris with the use of laxatives and/or cleansing solutions very similar to those used before a colonoscopy.
Learn more about Colonoscopy Preparation & FAQs