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Tethered capsule endoscope for Barrett's Esophagus screening

  • US 20060195014A1
  • Filed: 02/28/2005
  • Published: 08/31/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for imaging an inner surface of a lumen in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

  • (a) a capsule housing that is sized to readily pass through the lumen, the capsule housing having at least an imaging portion that is optically transparent;

    (b) a light source;

    (c) a scanner disposed within the capsule housing and coupled to the light source, the scanner having an actuator that drives the scanner to scan an inner surface of a lumen in a patient'"'"'s body in a desired scanning pattern with a beam of light from the scanner;

    (d) at least one light sensor that responds to light that has been reflected from an inner surface of a lumen, producing an electrical signal that is indicative of an intensity of the light;

    (e) an optical system that focuses the light emitted from the scanner onto a portion of an inner surface of a lumen in a patient'"'"'s body; and

    (f) a tether that is connected to the capsule housing and which extends proximally through a lumen to enable a force to be applied to the capsule housing to control a movement of the capsule housing.

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