Abstract: A method of estimating distances in a colon of a subject, including: orally administering to a subject a contrast agent, orally administering an imaging capsule to the subject, emitting radiation from the imaging capsule at a location in the colon, detecting photons that are returned from an interaction of the radiation with an inner wall of the colon and contents of the colon, summating the detected photons with energies corresponding to X-ray florescence interactions to form a first count, summating the detected photons with energies corresponding to Compton back-scattering interactions to form a second count, determining the distance from the imaging capsule to the inner wall of the colon and a concentration of the contrast agent at the location of the imaging capsule in the colon using the values of the first count and the second count.

Abstract: An aspect of an embodiment of the invention, relates to an imaging capsule for scanning inside a living body with a fail-safe radiation mechanism that prevents the emission of radiation from the imaging capsule until the imaging capsule is instructed to emit radiation and power is available to activate a motor to unblock the emission of radiation. Optionally, when power is not available the imaging capsule automatically, blocks the emission of radiation.

Abstract: A device and method for imaging body tissue, the device comprising a catheter for accessing body cavities having a catheter end, the catheter end having there within an ionizing radiation source for emitting ionizing radiation; and at least one ionizing radiation detector for detecting ionizing radiation; and wherein preferably a signal is emitted by the ionizing radiation source, said signal comprising photons or electrons, said photons or electrons are reflected from the body tissue or provoke the body tissue to generate photons or electrons.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting clinically-relevant features of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject are disclosed. The apparatus includes a capsule to be swallowed by a subject and passing through the GI tract of the subject, a capsule housing, a radiation source emitting radiation, a rotatable collimator configured to rotate with respect to the housing and to collimate the radiation emitted by the radiation source, and a radiation detector configured to detect particles, such as photons, gamma radiation, beta radiation and electrons photons generated responsive to the emitted radiation. The apparatus also includes a control unit configured to analyze data regarding the photons. Movement of the capsule in the GI tract can be detected. The radiation source, radiation detector and control unit may advantageously be integrated inside a single housing.

Abstract: Apparatus (40) is provided, including a capsule (50), adapted to be swallowed by a subject (54), the capsule (50) including (a) at least one radiation source (60), adapted to emit radiation having an energy of at least 10 keV, and (b) at least one photon detector (62), adapted to detect photons generated responsively to the emitted radiation, the photons having an energy of at least 10 keV. The apparatus (40) additionally includes a control unit (64), adapted to analyze data regarding the photons in order to generate information useful for identifying a clinically-relevant feature of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract (72) of the subject (54).