Capsule type endoscope, and gaster observation method

Abstract

Intended is to provide a capsule type endoscope, which can reduce, even in case the specific gravity of contents is large, its entire specific gravity in a specimen without deteriorating the introduction into the specimen, so that it can perform an observation while floating in a liquid. When the endoscope is introduced into the specimen, a spring member (14) of a shape memory alloy is caused to exhibit such a memory shape by the body temperature of the specimen as moves a volume-variable portion (13) to a housing position, at which the portion (13) is housed in a capsule type casing (11), sothat the endoscope is sized not to deteriorate the introduction into the specimen. After the endoscope was introduced into the specimen, water (3) is suitably introduced into the specimen. The springmember (14) is caused by the water temperature to exhibit such a memory shape as exposes the volume-variable portion (13) to the outside of the capsule type casing (11) thereby to increase the casingvolume. The volume-variable portion (13) is moved in the specimen, while inhaling the ambient air from an air vent hole (13a), to the exposed position so that it increases the casing volume. Even in case the contents (12) have a large specific gravity, the endoscope can be reduced in the entire specific gravity so that it can perform the observations while floating in the water (3).

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a capsule endoscope for observing the inside of a subject while floating on a liquid introduced into the subject, and a method for observing the inside of the stomach. Background technique [0002] In recent years, in the field of endoscopes, capsule endoscopes having imaging functions and wireless communication functions have appeared. This capsule endoscope has such a structure that, after being swallowed from the mouth of the subject (human body) for observation (inspection), the observation period until it is naturally discharged from the subject's living body Here, the capsule endoscope moves inside (inside the body cavity) of internal organs such as the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine along with the peristaltic movement, and uses the imaging function to sequentially capture images. [0003] Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the specific gravity of the capsule endoscope is set to 1 or ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, in order to reduce the specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to 1 or less as described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to make the size of the capsule casing larger than the necessary size, and there is a possibility that the capsule endoscope may be difficult for the subject. Difficulty swallowing the mirror from the mouth

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