Fantastic Voyage: Endoscope Technology

Endoscopes are currently used in vitro to take pictures of tissue within the body, especially in the gastrointestinal tract.  These devices, while useful, can be invasive and painful to the patient while in use, requiring sedation.  A researcher out of Tel Aviv University has furthered endoscope design and developed one that will make the overall process easier and even more useful to doctors. 

The new device uses a combination of an MRI magnetic field and a vibrating copper tail to power the device as it moves through the digestive tract. This allows for a doctor to directly manipulate the direction of the device within the intestine with much accuracy.  The researchers are still working towards enhancing the device’s signal power, but this is a step in the direction of making these sorts of operations easier on both patients and doctors.

This is of interest to me as a bioengineer in that it is part of our job to not only fix patients, but also make sure we do not cause any more harm.  Right now many procedures to even get an image of a tumor, such as using an endoscope, are painful, can be harmful to the patient, and may not provide useful information back to the doctors.  I think medicine should work to develop accurate and minimally invasive procedures, and this device is a step in that direction.  

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135851.htm