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: A system for calculating a position of a radioactivity emitting source in a system-of-coordinates, the system comprising (a) a radioactive emission detector; (b) a position tracking system being connected to and/or communicating with the radioactive emission detector; and (c) a data processor being designed and configured for receiving data inputs from the position tracking system and from the radioactive emission detector and for calculating the position of the radioactivity emitting source in the system-of-coordinates.

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 ingestible device, adapted to travel in the gastrointestinal tract and perform a diagnostic image of tissue therein, is provided. The diagnostic image may comprise diagnostic information as a function of time, or diagnostic information as a function of distance traveled within the gastrointestinal tract. Specifically, the ingestible device may be arranged to perform a diagnostic image of nuclear radiation of a radiophamaceutical, scintillation of a scintillation liquid, responsive to nuclear radiation of a radiophamaceutical, optical fluorescence of a fluorescing-pharmaceutical or of bare gastrointestinal-tract tissue, infrared radiation of the gastrointestinal-tract tissue, temperature-differences along the gastrointestinal-tract, impedance, ultrasound reflection, magnetic resonance, and a combination thereof. The ingestible device may be adapted for general screening of a large population, on the one hand, and for specific diagnoses of suspected pathologies, on the other.

Abstract: An ingestible device, adapted to travel in the gastrointestinal tract and perform a diagnostic image of tissue therein, is provided. The diagnostic image may comprise diagnostic information as a function of time, or diagnostic information as a function of distance traveled within the gastrointestinal tract. An imaging method by depth calculations is provided, based on the attenuation of photons of different energies, which are emitted from the same source, coupled with position monitoring.

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: a system for calculating a position of a radioactivity emitting source in a system-of-coordinates, the system comprising (a) a radioactive emission detector; (b) a position tracking system being connected to and/or communicating with the radioactive emission detector; and (c) a data processor being designed and configured for receiving data inputs from the position tracking system and from the radioactive emission detector and for calculating the position of the radioactivity emitting source in the system-of-coordinates.

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).

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: Imaging apparatus, is provided, comprising a first device, for obtaining a first image, by a first modality, selected from the group consisting of SPECT, PET, CT, an extracorporeal gamma scan, an extracorporeal beta scan, x-rays, an intracorporeal gamma scan, an intracorporeal beta scan, an intravascular gamma scan, an intravascular beta scan, and a combination thereof, and a second device, for obtaining a second, structural image, by a second modality, selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional ultrasound, an MRI operative by an internal magnetic field, an extracorporeal ultrasound, an extracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intracorporeal ultrasound, an intracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intravascular ultrasound, and a combination thereof, and wherein the apparatus further includes a computerized system, configured to construct an attenuation map, for the first image, based on the second, structural image.

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).

Abstract: Imaging apparatus, is provided, comprising a first device, for obtaining a first image, by a first modality, selected from the group consisting of SPECT, PET, CT, an extracorporeal gamma scan, an extracorporeal beta scan, x-rays, an intracorporeal gamma scan, an intracorporeal beta scan, an intravascular gamma scan, an intravascular beta scan, and a combination thereof, and a second device, for obtaining a second, structural image, by a second modality, selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional ultrasound, an MRI operative by an internal magnetic field, an extracorporeal ultrasound, an extracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intracorporeal ultrasound, an intracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intravascular ultrasound, and a combination thereof, and wherein the apparatus further includes a computerized system, configured to construct an attenuation map, for the first image, based on the second, structural image.

Abstract: a system for calculating a position of a radioactivity emitting source in a system-of-coordinates, the system comprising (a) a radioactive emission detector; (b) a position tracking system being connected to and/or communicating with the radioactive emission detector; and (c) a data processor being designed and configured for receiving data inputs from the position tracking system and from the radioactive emission detector and for calculating the position of the radioactivity emitting source in the system-of-coordinates.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for intravascular nuclear imaging, which is furthermore designed to locate the plaque along the artery and to estimate its thickness. Radiolabeled antibodies directed specific antigens in the atherosclerotic plaque or radiolabeled immunoscintigraphy pharmaceutical, which binds apoptotic cells, have been proposed for detection of vulnerable plaque. Other Radiopharmaceuticals such as Gallium Citrate, radio labeled white blood cells etc. call also be used to illuminate inflammatory processes.

Abstract: A radioactive emission probe in communication with a position tracking system and the use thereof in a variety of systems and methods of medical imaging and procedures, are provided. Specifically, wide-apeture collimation—deconvolution algorithms are provided, for obtaining a high-efficiency, high resolution image of a radioactivity emitting source, by scanning the radioactivity emitting source with a probe of a wide-aperture collimator, and at the same time, monitoring the position of the radioactive emission probe, at very fine time intervals, to obtain the equivalence of fine-aperture collimation. The blurring effect of the wide aperture is then corrected mathematically. Furthermore, an imaging method by depth calculations is provided, based on the attenuation of photons of different energies, which are emitted from the same source, coupled with position monitoring.

Abstract: An ingestible device, adapted to travel in the gastrointestinal tract and perform a diagnostic image of tissue therein, is provided. The diagnostic image may comprise diagnostic information as a function of time, or diagnostic information as a function of distance traveled within the gastrointestinal tract. An imaging method by depth calculations is provided, based on the attenuation of photons of different energies, which are emitted from the same source, coupled with position monitoring.

Abstract: A system for calculating a position of a radioactivity emitting source in a system-of-coordinates, the system comprising (a) a radioactive emission detector; (b) a position tracking system being connected to and/or communicating with the radioactive emission detector; and (c) a data processor being designed and configured for receiving data inputs from the position tracking system and from the radioactive emission detector and for calculating the position of the radioactivity emitting source in the system-of-coordinates.

Abstract: An ingestible device, adapted to travel in the gastrointestinal tract and perform a diagnostic image of tissue therein, is provided. The diagnostic image may comprise diagnostic information as a function of time, or diagnostic information as a function of distance traveled within the gastrointestinal tract. Specifically, the ingestible device may be arranged to perform a diagnostic image of nuclear radiation of a radiophamaceutical, scintillation of a scintillation liquid, responsive to nuclear radiation of a radiophamaceutical, optical fluorescence of a fluorescing-pharmaceutical or of bare gastrointestinal-tract tissue, infrared radiation of the gastrointestinal-tract tissue, temperature-differences along the gastrointestinal-tract, impedance, ultrasound reflection, magnetic resonance, and a combination thereof. The ingestible device may be adapted for general screening of a large population, on the one hand, and for specific diagnoses of suspected pathologies, on the other.