Capsule endoscopy is an easy and painless method of evaluating the small intestine. At Newtown Gastroenterology, the team of leading New York City gastroenterologists offers capsule endoscopy in four offices in Elmhurst and Flushing in Queens, Sunset Park in Brooklyn, and Chinatown in Manhattan. Call the office in your area or click the online booking button to make your appointment today.
Capsule endoscopy is a procedure that gathers images of your small intestine using a very tiny camera. This camera is contained within a capsule about the size of a vitamin. Just as with a vitamin capsule, you swallow it and it works through your digestive tract.
As the capsule moves, it takes about 10,000 images, which go directly to a recording device you wear on your body. The capsule takes around a day to move to the end of your digestive tract. You’ll dispose of it during a bowel movement and can flush it down the toilet.
The Newtown Gastroenterology team then evaluates the images to detect, diagnose, and evaluate problems in your small intestine. After your capsule endoscopy, you’ll have a follow-up visit at Newtown Gastroenterology to get your diagnosis and plan the next steps in your treatment.
A traditional endoscopy moves a long thin tube with a built-in camera through your mouth (upper endoscopy) or rectum (lower endoscopy or colonoscopy). Traditional endoscopy is an extremely useful diagnostic and treatment tool for colon cancer screening and other purposes.
However, a traditional endoscopy can’t reach and image the small intestine accurately, so a capsule endoscopy is an excellent option when the medical team suspects a problem within your small intestine.
A capsule endoscopy offers many diagnostic benefits, including the detection and diagnosis of:
• Unexplained small intestine bleeding
• Crohn’s disease
• Small intestine tumors
• Celiac disease
• Polyps
Capsule endoscopy can also be a follow-up test. For example, if your X-rays and other tests are inconclusive, a capsule endoscopy may provide more details about the source of your symptoms.
The Newtown Gastroenterology team gives you capsule endoscopy prep directions, and following these to the letter is essential to get the best images.
You’ll usually need to fast (no food or water) for around 12 hours before the procedure. This helps ensure your small intestine is empty and easy to examine accurately. The team reviews all your medications with you and may tell you to adjust your dosage before your procedure as well.
Schedule your capsule endoscopy at any of the three Newtown Gastroenterology offices through online scheduling, or call the nearest office today.
