A new endoscopic capsule is able to detect 64% of colon polyps

2009/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Teknologia
• Medikuntza

A new endoscopic capsule for the study of the colon diagnoses 64% of all lesions found with conventional colonoscopy. This is the result of a study conducted by eight European centers, including the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, to test the new device. 328 patients have been examined and the objective has been to check the efficacy of the colon capsule in the detection of polyps along with conventional colonoscopy.

The capsule explores the large intestine causing much less inconvenience than conventional colonoscopy: inside it has two chambers that, as it passes through the colon, takes the images in front and back at a speed of four images per second. But it is less effective than conventional colonoscopy. In fact, it has not detected 36% of polyps detected by conventional colonoscopy.

Miguel Muñoz, director of the Department of Digestion of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, states that they are aware of the need to improve the execution of the procedure. For example, it underlines the need for deeper colon cleanse before the screening. In fact, if there is damage covered under a dirty area, the capsule cannot recognize it. It is also working on improving the capsule itself to create devices capable of capturing more images per second.