Abstract: An imaging capsule including, a radiation source, a collimator that provides a collimated beam from the radiation source, at least one detector configured to detect particles resulting from X-ray fluorescence and/or Compton backscattering in response to the collimated beam to reconstruct images of a user's gastrointestinal tract, wherein the imaging capsule is configured to identify an inflamed area, within the user's gastrointestinal tract, based on a count of the detected particles and initiate actions responsive to detecting the inflamed area.

Abstract: A system for polyp detection through capsule dynamics, including a capsule configured to be swallowed by a patient, a recorder configured to be worn by the patient and to receive transmission of information from the capsule, wherein the system is configured to determine position or motion information of the capsule from the information received from the capsule, analyze the position or motion information and determine a probability score representing the likelihood of the existence of polyps in the gastrointestinal tract of the patient; and wherein the system notifies the patient of further actions to be performed in response to the determined probability score.

Abstract: A system for estimating the position of an imaging capsule that examines the gastrointestinal tract of a user, including an imaging capsule for examining inside the user; and a recorder for communicating with the imaging capsule from outside the user. The imaging capsule includes a controller for controlling functionality of the imaging capsule, a transceiver for communication with the recorder and a coil for transmission of electromagnetic signals. The recorder includes a controller for controlling functionality of the recorder, a transceiver for communication with the imaging capsule and a coil for receiving electromagnetic signals from the coil of the imaging capsule. Wherein the recorder determines the location of the imaging capsule based on measurements of the amplitude of the electromagnetic signals transmitted by the coil in the imaging capsule.

Abstract: A wearable antenna for communicating between an external transceiver and a capsule inside the gastrointestinal tract of a user, including a printed circuit board for forming a conducting pattern on a first face and on a second face of the printed circuit board; a first conducting pattern on the first face of the printed circuit board, including: a) an almost completely split conducting elongated bar across a center of the printed circuit board; b) an identical main conducting transmission area on each side of the almost completely split elongated bar; c) a thin conducting line respectively connecting between each side of the almost completely split elongated bar and the transmission area; a second conducting pattern on the second face of the printed circuit board including a U shaped conductor; wherein the U shaped conductor is positioned to serve as a balun for the conducting pattern on the first face.

Abstract: A colon imaging system, including an imaging capsule, having: a. a radiation source providing X-Ray and gamma radiation with energies sufficient to induce X-Ray fluorescence from nanoparticles that adhere to cancerous tissue, and which were administered to a patient in a solution prior to examining the colon with the imaging capsule; b. a detector for detecting particle energy of particles emitted responsive to the provided radiation and forming count information disclosing a number of particles detected for each energy level; c. a transceiver for transferring the count information to an external computer for analysis, and also having a computer for constructing images of an inside of the colon based on the count information; wherein the images provide an indication of locations in the colon of which the nanoparticles adhere to.

Abstract: A method of preparing a radioactive material to serve as a radiation source for an intra-lumen imaging capsule, including, receiving a radioactive substance having grains in powder form, forming a solid pellet wherein the grains of the radioactive substance are dispersed homogenously in the pellet and surrounded by less dense materials having lower radiation absorption.

Abstract: A fail safe concealment mechanism for a radiation imaging capsule, including, a collimator having a first area that blocks radiation and an second area that releases radiation, a radiation source that is initially positioned inside the collimator in the area that blocks radiation, a linear mechanism that moves the radiation source inside the collimator to the area that releases radiation when power is provided to the mechanism and automatically returns the radiation source to the area that blocks radiation when power is not provided to the mechanism.

Abstract: An imaging capsule with a fail-safe radiation mechanism includes a first rotatable disk with a radiation source mounted thereon and having a collimator structure allowing emission of radiation from radiation source from a few locations on the first disk. A second rotatable disk surrounds the first disk, is rotatable relative to first disk, and includes areas that block radiation and areas that are transparent to emission of radiation. In a rest position, second disk is situated relative to first disk such that areas that block radiation are blocking the emission of radiation from the locations on the circumference of the disk that allow the emission of radiation. A motor is activated to rotate one of the disks and allow emission of radiation. A connector is configured to automatically return first disk and second disk to the rest position when the motor is deactivated.

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 from a comparison between at least two images acquired with the apparatus. The radiation source, radiation detector and control unit may advantageously be integrated inside a single housing.

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 wearable antenna for communicating between an external transceiver and a capsule inside the gastrointestinal tract of a user, including a printed circuit board for forming a conducting pattern on a first face and on a second face of the printed circuit board; a first conducting pattern on the first face of the printed circuit board, including: a) an almost completely split conducting elongated bar across a center of the printed circuit board; b) an identical main conducting transmission area on each side of the almost completely split elongated bar; c) a thin conducting line respectively connecting between each side of the almost completely split elongated bar and the transmission area; a second conducting pattern on the second face of the printed circuit board including a U shaped conductor; wherein the U shaped conductor is positioned to serve as a balun for the conducting pattern on the first face.

Abstract: A fail safe concealment mechanism for a radiation imaging capsule, including, a collimator having a first area that blocks radiation and an second area that releases radiation, a radiation source that is initially positioned inside the collimator in the area that blocks radiation, a linear mechanism that moves the radiation source inside the collimator to the area that releases radiation when power is provided to the mechanism and automatically returns the radiation source to the area that blocks radiation when power is not provided to the mechanism.

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: A capsule for examining the gastrointestinal tract, including, a capsule shell enclosing the capsule, wherein said capsule shell is designed to be swallowed by a user to traverse the user's gastrointestinal tract internally, a strain gauge coupled to the capsule shell for measuring strain forces exerted on the capsule shell, a control for receiving the measurements from the strain gauge and responding to the measurements.

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 fluorescence 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 imaging capsule with a fail-safe radiation mechanism includes a first rotatable disk with a radiation source mounted thereon and having a collimator structure allowing emission of radiation from radiation source from a few locations on the first disk. A second rotatable disk surrounds the first disk, is rotatable relative to first disk, and includes areas that block radiation and areas that are transparent to emission of radiation. In a rest position, second disk is situated relative to first disk such that areas that block radiation are blocking the emission of radiation from the locations on the circumference of the disk that allow the emission of radiation. A motor is activated to rotate one of the disks and allow emission of radiation. A connector is configured to automatically return first disk and second disk to the rest position when the motor is deactivated.

Abstract: A system for detecting clinically-relevant features of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject. The system comprises an external magnetic field generator adapted to be affixed to a patient for generating at predetermined time intervals a magnetic field with respect to the subject. The magnetic field has a predetermined polarity and flux density, thereby establishing a patient coordinate system based upon the magnetic field. The system includes a capsule adapted to be swallowed by a subject. The system further includes at least one radiation source emitting X-ray or gamma radiation and at least one radiation detector. The radiation detector is configured to detect in a first energy window collimated X-ray fluorescence radiation from the X-ray contrast agent composition excited by the emitted radiation, and to detect a second energy window Compton-backscattered radiation from the X-ray contrast agent and the wall of the GI tract produced in response to the emitted radiation.

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.