Video colonoscopy capsules look promising

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Swallowing a small video capsule that examines the colon for polyps may be the colonoscopy of the future, say U.S. and Israeli physicians.

The new procedure was presented at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American college of Gastroenterology in Las Vegas, Nev.

The first group of researchers, from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, used capsule colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, and routine colonoscopy to evaluate 51 high-risk patients.

Thirty-one were undergoing routine screening, 16 had family histories of colon cancer, one had a history of polyps, and three had blood in their stool. All performed identical preps.

The doctors reading the capsules did not give their results to those performing the other procedures. After the results were unblended, routine colonoscopy was performed to ensure that nothing was missed.

Seventeen pre-cancerous polyps were found in 15 of the 51 patients, 16 by routine colonoscopy, 12 by capsule colonoscopy, and 5 by virtual colonoscopy.

In the Israeli study, performed at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa and led by Ramil Eliakim, capsule colonoscopy detected 70 percent of the polyps found and routine colonoscopy detected 80 percent.

"Capsule colonoscopy is a promising new technology for visualizing the colon," Lewis said. "It may complement colonoscopy in cases where colonoscopy is contraindicated, in incomplete colonoscopy, and for patients unwilling to undergo standard colonoscopy."