Chicago-based Loyola Medicine became the first medical center in the Chicagoland-region to offer the PillCam Colon 2 alternative colonoscopy treatment, Science Daily reports.
Here's what you should know.
1. The PillCam contains two miniature cameras on either end that travels down the digestive tract, capturing images and transmitting to a wearable recorder.
2. Under the new system, a provider performs colonoscopies to remove polyps, if needed.
3, Mukund Venu, MD, director of clinical operations and diagnostic testing at Loyola Medicine, is performing all capsule endoscopy tests at the clinic.
4. Dr. Venu told Science Daily the video capsule provides a convenient screening test for patients who cannot have a complete colonscopy. He said, "The video capsule system is the only alternative screening method for colon cancer that allows for direct visualization of colon polyps."