Capsule endoscopy is used mainly to pinpoint bleeding in hidden areas in the small bowel. It is more sensitive than many other techniques. Capsule endoscopy uses a 10x27mm capsule, which contains a tiny camera, batteries, light source and transmitter. After swallowing, the capsule travels like a piece of food through the gastrointestinal system. It provides high-resolution images of the stomach and small intestine, taking two pictures every second for up to 11 hours, providing about 60,000 pictures in total. Recording probes, taped on the abdomen, track the progress of the capsule. The images obtained by the capsule are transmitted to a data-recorder worn in a harness around the waist.
