PillCam

OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group was one of the first hospitals in Michigan to offer new technology that allows for examination of a patient's intestinal tract without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures. Called capsule endoscopy, the new procedure uses a vitamin-sized video capsule called a PillCam to take pictures of the esophagus and small bowel. Patients swallow the capsule, which then travels through intestinal tract taking pictures that are sent to a data recorder the patient wears on a waist belt. At the end of the day, the recorder is removed and images are downloaded to a computer where a physician can view them.

"This technology allows us to diagnose certain digestive conditions that in the past we could only diagnose through x-ray technology, traditional endoscopy or exploratory surgery," said Joseph Kim, M.D., a gastroenterologist with the OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group Digestive Disease Center. "With the PillCam, we can see live video footage - essentially a rolling movie of the intestinal tract. We can actually see bleeding as it is occurring in the small intestine. This is something no x-ray could ever pick up. Until just a few years ago we could only see this through endoscopy and even with endoscopy, we could not slide a scope into someone's mid or lower intestine to the level that we can now see with the capsule."

While not appropriate for all patients, capsule endoscopy is a tremendous technological advancement and appropriate for diagnosing many common problems, said Kim. Capsule endoscopy of the small bowel can help physicians determine causes of persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea, obscure bleeding or anemia. Capsule endoscopy of the esophagus is often appropriate for conditions like Barrett's esophagus, acid reflux and chronic liver disease.