Pillcam takes HD images of your insides
The NHS is to start using a tiny camera that fits inside a pill to help diagnose illnesses.
Patients will swallow the pillcam to allow doctors to see their insides as it passes through the digestive system snapping 55,000 HD photos on the way.
The pix from the 11mm x 26mm pill are then beamed out to a computer where docs can diagnose conditions such as bowel tumors and malabsorption disorders.
The eight-hour process is a lot easier and less painful than booking Annie Leibovitz to do the same photo-shoot.
You will also be glad to know that once the pillcam 'finishes its journey' (a nice way of putting it) it is flushed away, I don't think many people would want to reuse it.
South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, Tyne and Wear are set to become the first place in the UK to use the high-tech micro snapper.
A spokesperson for makers Given Imaging said: "The PillCam contains an imaging device and light-source on one-side and transmits images at a rate of 2 images per second.
"As it travels through your body, the camera-in-a-pill transmits images to a small recording device worn around your waist.
"After swallowing the PillCam video capsule, you can go about your daily routine and revisit to the doctor’s office eight hours later to return the device. "
Link:
Given Imaging
The NHS is to start using a tiny camera that fits inside a pill to help diagnose illnesses.Patients will swallow the pillcam to allow doctors to see their insides as it passes through the digestive system snapping 55,000 HD photos on the way.
The pix from the 11mm x 26mm pill are then beamed out to a computer where docs can diagnose conditions such as bowel tumors and malabsorption disorders.
The eight-hour process is a lot easier and less painful than booking Annie Leibovitz to do the same photo-shoot.
You will also be glad to know that once the pillcam 'finishes its journey' (a nice way of putting it) it is flushed away, I don't think many people would want to reuse it.
South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, Tyne and Wear are set to become the first place in the UK to use the high-tech micro snapper.
A spokesperson for makers Given Imaging said: "The PillCam contains an imaging device and light-source on one-side and transmits images at a rate of 2 images per second.
"As it travels through your body, the camera-in-a-pill transmits images to a small recording device worn around your waist.
"After swallowing the PillCam video capsule, you can go about your daily routine and revisit to the doctor’s office eight hours later to return the device. "
Link:
Given Imaging
