Body-insertable device system and in-vivo observation method

• US 8,790,247 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawano, Hironao, Takizawa, Hironobu, Segawa, Hidetake, Aoki, Isao, Hirakawa, Katsumi, Kobayashi, Satomi, Ito, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, JAE KYUN
• Application Number:
  US13/427,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 600/114, 600/117, 600/118
• US Class Current: 600/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00147 Holding or positioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to actively control at least one of the position and direction of the imaging field in a subject and to observe a desired observed region in the subject certainly in a short period of time. A body-insertable device system according to the present invention includes a capsule endoscope 1 introduced into a subject and a permanent magnet 3. An imaging unit of the capsule endoscope 1 for taking an image inside the subject is fixed in a casing. The capsule endoscope 1 includes a drive unit for changing at least one of the position and posture of the casing in the liquid 2a which is also introduced in the subject 100. The permanent magnet 3 controls the operation of the drive unit for changing at least one of the position and posture of the casing in the liquid 2a.

Claims

1. A method for guiding a capsule endoscope that is provided in a liquid contained by an organ wall, the capsule endoscope comprising a magnet, by control of a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the magnet, the method comprising:

a first moving step comprising moving the capsule endoscope along a vertical axis that is substantially parallel to a direction of gravitational force, by controlling a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator so that the magnetic field acts on the magnet to bring the capsule endoscope into a submerged state between a liquid surface of the liquid and the organ wall; and

a second moving step comprising moving the capsule endoscope along a substantially horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the liquid surface, by controlling the magnetic field generator while maintaining the submerged state of the capsule endoscope,

wherein the second moving step is performed subsequently to the first moving step, and

wherein each of the first moving step and the second moving step further comprise

a controller determining whether the capsule endoscope is in the submerged state based on a position/posture information of the capsule endoscope, the force exerted by the magnetic field on the capsule endoscope, the buoyant force of the liquid, and the gravitational force, and

the controller controlling a drive power supplied to the magnetic field generator based on the determination result to control the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator to bring the capsule endoscope into the submerged state in the first moving step and to maintain the submerged state in the second moving step.

2. The capsule endoscope guiding method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reading step of reading, from a pattern memory, control information for the magnetic field generator concerning the first and second moving steps,

wherein the first and second moving steps are performed such that the magnetic field generator is controlled based on the control information stored in the pattern memory.

3. A method for guiding a capsule endoscope comprising a magnet by control of a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the magnet, the method comprising:

an introducing step comprising introducing a liquid that is contained by an organ wall, and introducing the capsule endoscope into the liquid;

a first moving step comprising moving the capsule endoscope along a vertical axis that is substantially parallel to a direction of gravitational force, by controlling a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator so that the magnetic field acts on the magnet to bring the capsule endoscope into a submerged state between a liquid surface of the liquid and the organ wall; and

a second moving step comprising moving the capsule endoscope along a substantially horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the liquid surface, by controlling the magnetic field generator while maintaining the submerged state of the capsule endoscope,

wherein the second moving step is performed subsequently to the first moving step, and

wherein each of the first moving step and the second moving step further comprise

a controller determining whether the capsule endoscope is in the submerged state based on a position/posture information of the capsule endoscope, the force exerted by the magnetic field on the capsule endoscope, the buoyant force of the liquid, and the gravitational force, and

the controller controlling a drive power supplied to the magnetic field generator based on the determination result to control the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator to bring the capsule endoscope into the submerged state in the first moving step and to maintain the submerged state in the second moving step.

4. The capsule endoscope guiding method according to claim 3, further comprising:

a reading step of reading, from a pattern memory, control information for the magnetic field generator concerning the first and second moving steps,

wherein the first and second moving steps are performed such that the magnetic field generator is controlled based on the control information stored in the pattern memory.

5. A method for guiding a capsule endoscope that is provided in a liquid contained by an organ wall, the capsule endoscope comprising a magnet, by control of a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the magnet, the method comprising:

a first moving step comprising moving the capsule endoscope along a vertical axis that is substantially parallel to a direction of gravitational force, by controlling a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator so that the magnetic field acts on the magnet to bring the capsule endoscope into a submerged state at a bottom of the liquid, and thereafter maintaining the submerged state while moving the capsule endoscope vertically upward between the bottom of the liquid and a liquid surface of the liquid by controlling the magnetic field generator to reduce a magnetic force;

a second moving step comprising moving, after the first moving step, the capsule endoscope along a substantially horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the liquid surface, by controlling the magnetic field generator while maintaining the submerged state of the capsule endoscope, and

a third moving step comprising moving, after the second moving step, the capsule endoscope along the vertical axis to the bottom of the liquid by controlling the magnetic field generator to increase the magnetic force,

wherein each of the first moving step and the second moving step further comprise

a controller determining whether the capsule endoscope is in the submerged state based on a position/posture information of the capsule endoscope, the force exerted by the magnetic field on the capsule endoscope, the buoyant force of the liquid, and the gravitational force, and

the controller controlling a drive power supplied to the magnetic field generator based on the determination result to control the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator to bring the capsule endoscope into the submerged state in the first moving step and to maintain the submerged state in the second moving step.

6. The capsule endoscope guiding method according to claim 5, further comprising:

a reading step of reading, from a pattern memory, control information for the magnetic field generator concerning the first and second moving steps,

wherein the first and second moving steps are performed such that the magnetic field generator is controlling based on the control information stored in the pattern memory.