Does capsule endoscopy show the large bowel?

indigosunrise

Regular Member

Joined : Nov 2007

Posts : 497

Posted 5/26/2008 3:12 PM (GMT 0)

I was just wondering if the capsule may possibly show the entire tract...?

Thanks in advance!

Nanners

Elite Member

Joined : Apr 2005

Posts : 14999

Posted 5/26/2008 3:18 PM (GMT 0)

I am not sure if it goes all the way to the colon, but I would think so. But the colon is able to be seen on the colonoscopy, they usually use the capsule to show the parts of the small intestine a scope can't reach.

yogaprof

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2006

Posts : 1665

Posted 5/26/2008 3:37 PM (GMT 0)

my understanding is the battery usually dies AND the lg is too lg to show good images, so it isn't much help there. yp

rootsmith

Veteran Member

Joined : Jan 2004

Posts : 631

Posted 5/26/2008 4:03 PM (GMT 0)

Yogaprof!!! How are you doing? How is the gluten free diet going?

Chris

yogaprof

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2006

Posts : 1665

Posted 5/26/2008 6:29 PM (GMT 0)

very good, thanks, Chris! it has been a miracle, really. I have several good recipes if anyone wants some gluten free advice, send me an email.

indigo, are you scheduled for the pill? let us know what happens. yp

pb4

Elite Member

Joined : Feb 2004

Posts : 20577

Posted 5/26/2008 6:41 PM (GMT 0)

I was under the assumption that it took pics all the way through and that was basically the whole idea of it so one wouldn't have to also get a colonoscopy nor a sigmoidoscopy...best to ask the experts that give these tests.

:)

Zanne

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2005

Posts : 3763

Posted 5/26/2008 7:30 PM (GMT 0)

The battery usually dies before it reaches the large intestine, but basically the capsule starts to rotate too much to take pictures that are of much use once it reaches the large intestine. But the whole point is to take pics of the small intestine. A regular colonoscopy can take pictures and biopsies of the large intestines. It is the small intestine that is really the mystery territory.

gumby44

Veteran Member

Joined : Nov 2007

Posts : 4505

Posted 5/26/2008 7:51 PM (GMT 0)

My understanding is that the capsule bounces around too much to be useful in the large intestine. The purpose of the test to to visualize the small intestine that can't be seen by colonoscopy.

CrohnsDaddy

Regular Member

Joined : Oct 2007

Posts : 235

Posted 5/28/2008 8:21 PM (GMT 0)

I had a capsule study back in December. The battery typically lasts for eight hours. So you get pictures of everything as far as your GI tract takes the capsule in that eight hours. I was in the middle of a very bad flare when I had my capsule done. It went from stem to stern in four hours flat. My doc said, "Gee, it's too bad you already had your colonoscopy done. We wouldn't have had to do it if we knew we were gonna get pictures of the whole tract in four hours." Swell.

So it depends on how fast your system moves the capsule in the eight hour battery life. As far as picture quality, they were great.. of *everything* all the way out.

spasman

Regular Member

Joined : Jul 2006

Posts : 361

Posted 5/28/2008 10:09 PM (GMT 0)

A new Colon-pill is available soon:

www.givenimaging.com

:)

edit;i hope

aoccc

Regular Member

Joined : Feb 2005

Posts : 455

Posted 5/28/2008 10:21 PM (GMT 0)

it would be cool to have a home version that u could just reuse..party fun

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