Encapsulated medical imaging device and method
The present invention relates to an encapsulated medical imaging device ( 1 ) and method for imaging the gastroin-testinal tract in patients using optical scanning technologies.
1. A medical imaging system comprising:
an elongated capsule comprising:
a housing of swallowable proportions and having a longitudinal axis with a first end and an oppositely positioned second end, comprising:
two optical setups, a first optical setup positioned on the longitudinal axis at or near the first end and a second optical setup positioned on the longitudinal axis at or near the second end, for viewing sectors external to the housing and in opposite directions;
at least one illuminator illuminating said sectors;
at least one light sensitive array receiving light from one of the optical setups and generating image data;
electronic circuitry for sampling image data from said light sensitive arrays and converting image data to digital data; and
a transmitter receiving said digital data and transmitting said digital data,
an external receiver receiving said digital data from said transmitter;
an image processor capable of processing said digital data received by said external receiver into at least one image; and
a display capable of displaying said at least one image.
2. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a coronal array of microlenses distributed coronally to at least one of the optical setups focusing light on a light sensitive array.
3. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein microlenses of said microlenses array have different foci distributed in a known distribution and wherein said image processor is capable of distinguishing focused image data from unfocused image data and disregarding at least a portion of said unfocused data.
4. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one illuminator comprises light emitting diodes.
5. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said light emitting diodes emit light in different frequencies.
6. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said light emitting diodes emit red, green, and blue light.
7. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal axis is from about 12 to 20 mm in length and said capsule housing has a diameter of from about 5 to 7 mm.
8. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule housing is made of biocompatible material.
9. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule housing comprises disposable material.
10. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said capsule housing comprises dissolvable material sufficiently stable to pass through a patient's entire gastrointestinal tract without disintegrating.
11. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule is internally powered.
12. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule is externally powered.
13. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said capsule is inductively powered.
14. The medical imaging system as claimed claim 1 , wherein said capsule is further provided with stabilizing support for supporting the capsule in preventing it from turning over and around.
15. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said support comprises one or more retractable surfaces.
16. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said retractable surfaces are supported by arms.
17. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said arms are resilient.
18. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said arms are mechanically foldable.
19. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said arms are capable of being housed in cavities provided in said capsule housing.
20. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said cavities are capable of holding samples obtained by said arms.
21. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule housing is further provided with a medical parameter sensor.
22. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor.
23. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said capsule housing is further provided with at least one wiper for wiping off an outer surface of at least one of said optical lens arrays.
24. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein said wiper comprises a wiping arm.
25. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis is fixed and linear.
26. The medical imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical setups are lens arrays.
27. An elongated capsule for imaging a patient's gastrointestinal tract, comprising:
a housing of swallowable proportions and having a longitudinal axis with a first end and an oppositely positioned second end,
two optical setups, a first optical setup positioned on the longitudinal axis at or near the first end and a second optical setup positioned on the longitudinal axis at or near the second end, for viewing sectors external to the housing and in opposite directions;
at least one illuminator illuminating said sectors;
two light sensitive arrays, each receiving light from one of the corresponding optical setups and generating image data;
electronic circuitry for sampling image data from said light sensitive arrays and converting image data to digital data; and
a transmitter for transmitting said digital data.
28. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 which further comprises a coronal array of microlenses distributed coronally to at least one of the optical setups focusing light on a light sensitive array.
29. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 28 , wherein microlenses of said microlenses array have different foci distributed in a known distribution.
30. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein said at least one illuminator comprises light emitting diodes.
31. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 30 , wherein said light emitting diodes emit light in different frequencies.
32. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein said longitudinal axis is from about 12 to 20 mm in length and said capsule housing has a diameter of from about 5 to 7 mm.
33. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the capsule housing comprises dissolvable material sufficiently stable to pass through the patient's entire gastrointestinal tract without disintegrating.
34. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the capsule is internally powered.
35. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the capsule is externally powered.
36. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 35 , wherein said capsule is inductively powered.
37. The elongated capsule as claimed claim 27 , wherein the capsule is further provided with stabilizing support for supporting the capsule in preventing it from turning over and around.
38. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 37 , wherein said support comprises one or more retractable surfaces.
39. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 38 , wherein said retractable surfaces are supported by arms.
40. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the arms are resilient.
41. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the arms are mechanically foldable.
42. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 39 , wherein cavities are provided in the capsule housing and the arms are capable of being housed in the cavities.
43. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 42 , wherein the cavities are capable of holding samples obtained by said arms.
44. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the capsule housing is further provided with a medical parameter sensor.
45. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 44 , wherein said sensor is a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor.
46. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the capsule housing is further provided with at least one wiper for wiping off an outer surface of at least one of said optical lens arrays.
47. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 46 , wherein the wiper comprises a wiping arm.
48. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the longitudinal axis is fixed and linear.
49. The elongated capsule as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the optical setups are lens arrays.
50. A method for imaging a patient's gastrointestinal tract, including imaging folds in the surface of the gastrointestinal tract, which comprises:
providing an elongated capsule of claim 27 ;
inducing the patient to swallow the capsule;
simultaneously acquiring data from the gastrointestinal tract as well as the folds by both optical setups; and
processing information generated by electronic circuitry in the capsule to produce useful imagery.
51. The method of claim 50 , wherein imagery obtained from a forward-looking lens optical array when the capsule is positioned at a first position in the patient's gastrointestinal tract is combined with imagery from a rearward-looking lens optical array when the capsule is at a second position distal to the first position, to provide a substantially complete image of the patient's gastrointestinal tract between the first position and the second position.