Electronic Gastrointestinal Screening

• US 20080262313A1
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biora Therapeutics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Jeff, Trovato, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take 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 5/14539 for measuring pH
• 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: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers

Abstract

Gastrointestinal screening includes disposing a self-contained electronic capsule in a gastrointestinal tract. The electronic capsule is adapted to acquire data that is responsive to one or more physical conditions in the gastrointestinal tract and to compare the acquired data with stored threshold data to generate a discrete output relating to the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an instrument adapted to acquire, from within a gastrointestinal tract, data that is responsive to physical conditions adjacent the apparatus and to generate, based on the acquired data, a discrete electrical signal relating to the condition of the gastrointestinal tract; and

an output generator adapted to generate a discrete output that is responsive to the discrete electrical signal,

the apparatus being self-contained and adapted to pass through the gastrointestinal tract to acquire the data.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the physical conditions to which the instrument is responsive include light.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the instrument is responsive to spectral characteristics of received light.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the instrument includes:

a lamp adapted to illuminate tissues within the gastrointestinal tract and to cause fluorescence in such tissues; and

a plurality of light detectors arranged to have differing spectral responses, the light detectors being adapted to receive light from tissues within the gastrointestinal tract that are illuminated by the lamp.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discrete output includes a wireless output.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discrete output includes a human-perceptible output.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the human-perceptible output includes a color output.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the output generator is adapted to generate the color output by releasing a colored substance.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the human-perceptible output includes a light output.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus detects when it has exited the gastrointestinal tract and generates the discrete output after it has exited the gastrointestinal tract.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instrument generates the discrete electrical signal by comparing the acquired data with threshold data.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output generator is adapted to generate a different discrete output state for each possible state of the discrete electrical signal, and each discrete output state differs from the state of the apparatus prior to acquiring data from within a gastrointestinal tract.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discrete output state indicates the presence, number, and/or location of abnormal conditions within a gastrointestinal tract.

14. A method comprising:

passing a self-contained apparatus through a gastrointestinal tract;

acquiring in the apparatus, during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract, data that is responsive to physical conditions adjacent the apparatus;

generating, based on the acquired data, a discrete electrical signal relating to the condition of the gastrointestinal tract; and

providing a discrete output from the apparatus that is responsive to the discrete electrical signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the physical conditions include light.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein acquiring data includes acquiring spectral data.

17. The method of claim 15, further including emitting light from the apparatus to illuminate the gastrointestinal tract.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the discrete output includes a wireless output.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the discrete output includes a human-perceptible output.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the human-perceptible output includes a color output.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the color output is provided by releasing a colored substance from the apparatus.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the human-perceptible output includes a light output.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the discrete output is provided after the apparatus has exited the gastrointestinal tract.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the discrete electrical signal includes comparing the acquired data with threshold data.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein a different discrete output state is provided for each possible state of the discrete electrical signal, and each discrete output state differs from the state of the apparatus prior to passing the apparatus through a gastrointestinal tract.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the state of the discrete output indicates the presence, number, and/or location of abnormal conditions within a gastrointestinal tract.

27. The method of claim 14, further including introducing a contrast agent into tissues in the gastrointestinal tract prior to passing the apparatus through the gastrointestinal tract.