Optical capsule and spectroscopic method for treating or diagnosing the intestinal tract

• US 20040162469A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entrack, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Entrack, Inc.
• Inventors: Imran, Mir A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00482 Digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/162 Capsule shaped sensor housings, e.g. for swallowing or implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 : invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 : for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 : invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 : Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4233 : oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4255 : Intestines, colon or appendix
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 : combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 : specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6873 : Intestine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 : Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 : electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 : of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 : Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula

Abstract

A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating disorders or other diseases, disorders or conditions (e.g., bleeding, ischemic or necrotic tissue, and presence of certain chemicals or substances) of the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract and sensing optical characteristics as the capsule passes through. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule'"'"'s location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of optical characteristics may be derived from the pass of a capsule to diagnose the disorder or disease. The capsule or subsequently passed capsules may treat, further diagnose or mark the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing a gastrointestinal condition comprising:

an autonomous capsule sized to pass through the intestinal tract of a patient, the capsule comprising;

a light source configured to emit light from the capsule; and

a sensor configured to sense light at least one predetermined wavelength at a first location within the intestinal tract and to output a signal representative of light sensed by the sensor at the at least one predetermined wavelength;

a processor coupled to the sensor to receive a signal representative of light of the at least one predetermined wavelength sensed by the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one condition of;

a presence of a substance, an absence of a substance, and a condition of tissue of the intestinal tract based at least in part on the signal representative of light sensed by the sensor; and

a capsule tracking system configured to track location of the capsule within an intestinal tract.

2. The system for diagnosing the gastrointestinal condition of claim 1 wherein the light source emits light at the least one predetermined wavelength.

3. The system for diagnosing the gastrointestinal condition of claim 1 wherein the capsule further comprises a filter coupled to the sensor, wherein the filter is configured to filter light into the sensor of the at least one predetermined wavelength.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the capsule tracking system is configured to track location of the capsule within a three-dimensional coordinate system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processor is coupled to the capsule tracking system to receive information on the location of the capsule within the intestinal tract, and

wherein the processor is arranged to identify the first location of the at least one condition within the portion of the intestinal tract.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the capsule tracking system is configured to track location of the capsule along a length of a portion of the intestinal tract.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processor is coupled to the capsule tracking system to receive information on the location of the capsule within the intestinal tract, and wherein the processor is arranged to identify a location of a sensed condition along a length of the portion of the intestinal tract.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a mapping element configured to map locations of the capsule along the length of the portion of the intestinal tract with respect to conditions sensed by the sensor at corresponding locations along the length of the portion of the intestinal tract.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor, the display being configured to display a diagnostic map of sensed condition of the intestinal tract along the length of the portion of the intestinal tract.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the capsule tracking system is arranged to determine capsule location along the length the portion of the intestinal tract, from a determination of a plurality of locations of the capsule as the capsule passes through the portion of the intestinal tract.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the capsule tracking system comprises:

an acoustic transducer transmitter and an acoustic transducer receiver,

wherein the acoustic transmitter is arranged to transmit a tracking signal from the acoustic transmitter to the acoustic receiver, between the autonomous capsule and a location external to a patient'"'"'s body, and

wherein in use, the acoustic transmitter is located at one of the autonomous capsule and the location external the patient'"'"'s body and the acoustic receiver is located at the other of the autonomous capsule and the location external the patient'"'"'s body.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the capsule tracking system comprises;

a plurality of acoustic transducers at the capsule, each of the plurality of acoustic transducers being arranged to emit an acoustic signal detectable externally of a patient'"'"'s body as the capsule passes through at least a portion of the intestinal tract; and

at least one external acoustic receiver configured to sense the acoustic signal transmitted by the capsule,

wherein the acoustic signal of each of the plurality of acoustic transducers provides information from which the location of the capsule may be derived.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the capsule further comprises:

a telemetry device arranged to transmit a telemetry signal corresponding to the light sensed by the sensor, and a telemetry receiver for receiving the telemetry signal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor is located in an external device coupled to the telemetry receiver.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the capsule further comprises a marking mechanism configured to mark an identified location of a sensed condition within the intestinal tract.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the marking mechanism comprises a substance release mechanism.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the substance release mechanism comprises a dye release mechanism.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the marking mechanism comprises a position anchoring mechanism.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one condition comprises:

presence of blood.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one condition comprises:

absence of blood in tissue

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one condition comprises:

presence of ischemic tissue.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one condition comprises:

presence of necrotic tissue.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition is the presence or absence of hemoglobin.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one predetermined wavelength is within a range of wavelengths of between about 540 nanometers and about 620 nanometers.

25. The system of claim 1 further comprising a treatment capsule configured to treat the condition determined by the capsule.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the treatment capsule comprises a treatment capsule tracking system configured to track the location of the capsule and identify the location of the condition determined by the capsule.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the treatment capsule tracking system is configured to track the location of the treatment along the length of at least a portion of the intestinal tract.

28. A system for treating or diagnosing the intestinal tract of a patient comprising:

capsule means for moving through a portion of an intestinal tract;

means for determining location of the capsule means within a portion of the intestinal tract;

light emitting means for emitting a light at least one wavelength optical sensing means for sensing an optical characteristic of the intestinal tract;

tracking means for tracking the capsule means at a plurality of locations and for tracking a sensed optical characteristic at the plurality of locations; and

a processing means for determining a condition within the portion of the intestinal tract based at least in part on the optical characteristic sensed at the plurality of locations

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for determining location of the capsule means comprises an acoustic means for determining location.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for determining location of the capsule means comprises means for determining location of the capsule means along a length of the portion of the intestinal tract.

31. The system of claim 28 further comprising a mapping means for mapping locations of the capsule along the length of the portion of the intestinal tract with respect to conditions determined by the processor means corresponding to at corresponding locations of the conditions along the length of the portion of the intestinal tract.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the condition is selected from a group comprising:

a presence of a substance, an absence of a substance, and a tissue condition.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the condition is presence of blood.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the condition is absence of blood in tissue.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the condition is the presence of ischemic tissue.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein the condition is the presence of necrotic tissue.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one predetermined wavelength is within a range of wavelengths of between about 540 nanometers and about 620 nanometers

38. A method for diagnosing a condition of a gastrointestinal tract comprising the steps of:

providing an autonomous capsule comprising a light source and an optical sensor configured to sense light of at least one predetermined wavelength;

emitting light from the capsule in an intestinal tract;

sensing light of the at least one predetermined wavelength with the optical sensor at a location within a portion of a gastrointestinal tract; and

determining whether determine at least one condition exists at the location, the condition being selected from;

a presence of a substance, an absence of a substance, and a condition of tissue of the intestinal tract, and the condition determined at least in part from the signal representative of light sensed by the sensor.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising the steps of:

sensing light at a plurality of locations along a length of a portion of a gastrointestinal tract; and

mapping sensed condition with respect to each of the plurality of locations along the length of the gastrointestinal tract.