Ingestible pill

• US 20040054278A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Dynamics Medical Ltd
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Dynamics LLC
• Inventors: Zilberstein, Yoel, Kimchy, Yoav, Amrami, Roni, Antebi, Udi, Sidorenko, Nick, Ben-David, Gal, Bouskila, Yona
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

An ingestible device, adapted to travel in the gastrointestinal tract and perform a diagnostic image of tissue therein, is provided. The diagnostic image may comprise diagnostic information as a function of time, or diagnostic information as a function of distance traveled within the gastrointestinal tract. An imaging method by depth calculations is provided, based on the attenuation of photons of different energies, which are emitted from the same source, coupled with position monitoring.

Claims

1. An ingestible device, arranged for traveling within a gastrointestinal tract of a body, comprising:

a probe, operative to perform, along said gastrointestinal tract, a diagnostic image by nuclear radiation of a radiophamaccutical;

data-handling apparatus, in signal communication with said probe, for receiving and handling imaging data, generated by said probe;

a power source, for powering said probe and data-handling apparatus; and

a shell, which encapsulates said probe, data-handling apparatus, and power source within.

2. The ingestible device of claim 1, wherein said probe comprises a nuclear-radiation detector, arranged for detecting gamma and beta radiation.

3. The ingestible device of claim 2, wherein said nuclear-radiation detector is gated to a narrow energy range, associated with a particular radioisotope.

4. The ingestible device of claim 2, wherein said nuclear-radiation detector is gated to at least two narrow energy ranges.

5. The ingestible device of claim 1, wherein said probe comprises a plurality of nuclear-radiation detectors, arranged around the external surface of said ingestible device, for detecting gamma and beta radiation.

6. The ingestible device of claim 5, wherein some of said plurality of nuclear-radiation detectors may be gated to a specific narrow energy range, while others may be gated to a different narrow energy range.

7. The ingestible device of claim 2, wherein said nuclear-radiation detector is not collimated, to detect nuclear radiation impinging at any angle.

8. The ingestible device of claim 1, arranged as a compton camera.

9. A method of nuclear imaging, comprising:

scanning a radioactivity emitting Source of at least two photon energies with at least one nuclear radiation detector, mounted on an ingestible device, and obtaining a count rate for the at least two photons;

monitoring the position of the ingestible device; and

calculating the depth of the radioactivity emitting source, at each position, based on the different attenuation of photons of different energies, emitted from the radioactivity emitting source.

10. The method of claim 9, and further including constructing an image of the radioactivity emitting source.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the monitoring takes place at very short time intervals of between 100 and 200 miliseconds.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said nuclear-radiation detector is not collimated, to detect nuclear radiation impinging at any angle.

13. The method of claim 9, and further including image reconstruction by deconvolution algorithms.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said ingestible device comprises a nuclear-radiation detector, arranged for detecting gamma and beta radiation.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said ingestible device comprises a plurality of nuclear-radiation detectors, arranged around the external surface of said ingestible device, for detecting gamma and beta radiation.