Capsule instead of colonoscope

An international group of engineers demonstrated a miniature robotic capsule that performs diagnostics of colon diseases, providing clinicians with ultrasound microimages. The new Sonopill device will allow patients to replace endoscopic examination (colonoscopy) – an unpleasant and painful colon examination procedure. The resulting ultrasound images are quite informative, in particular for detecting altered cells characteristic of cancer. 

Sonopill is a small capsule with a diameter of 21 mm and a length of 39 mm (these dimensions, according to the developers, can be reduced). The capsule contains an ultrasonic micro sensor, an LED, a camera and a magnet. A small flexible cable fixed to the capsule is also inserted into the rectum and transmits ultrasound images to a computer in the examination room.

A manipulator is carried out over the patient, which contains a series of magnets and gently controls the movement of the Sonopill capsule inside the intestine. The magnetic field created is harmless and can spread through the tissues of the human body without requiring a physical connection with the capsule. The artificial intelligence system controls the capsule for more accurate diagnostics and can stop it directly next to the area of interest to take high-quality pictures.

Previous studies have shown that micro-ultrasound helps to obtain high-resolution images and visualize small defects in the intestinal layers, providing valuable information about the early signs of diseases.

In this study, the authors demonstrated an intelligent magnetic manipulation system as an effective way to control a micro-ultrasonic capsule for targeted visualization of the human body from the inside. Sonopill tests were carried out on laboratory models and on pigs.

With the increasing demand for endoscopy, this discovery is more important than ever as an accurate and cost-effective tool for patient-friendly diagnosis. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including some types of bowel cancer, lead to eight million deaths a year worldwide.

The authors hope that in the near future the Sonopill capsule will be available to all patients as part of regular preventive medical examinations, helping to detect serious diseases at an early stage, as well as for dynamic monitoring of the course of colon diseases.

Article by J. S. Norton et al. Intelligent magnetic manipulation for gastrointestinal ultrasound is published in the journal Science Robotics.

Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Leeds: A miniature robot that could check columns for early signs of disease.