Patent ID: 9037219
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of estimating distances in a colon of a subject that is orally administered an imaging capsule and a radio opaque contrast agent so as to fill the colon with the radio opaque contrast agent having a concentration of the contrast agent varying at different locations along a length of the colon, comprising: receiving an experimentally predetermined relationship between a number of photons with energies corresponding to X-ray fluorescence interactions, a distance from the imaging capsule to the inner wall of the colon and the concentration of the contrast agent; receiving an experimentally predetermined relationship between a number of photons with energies corresponding to Compton back-scattering interactions, the distance from the imaging capsule to the inner wall of the colon and the concentration of the contrast agent; receiving an experimentally predetermined relationship between a number of photons with energies corresponding to Compton back-scattering interactions, the distance from the imaging capsule to the inner wall of the colon and the concentration of the contrast agent; emitting radiation from an emission source in 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 at the location; summating ones of said detected photons with energies corresponding to X-ray fluorescence interactions to form a first count; summating ones of said detected photons with energies corresponding to Compton back-scattering interactions to form a second count; solving for the distance from the image capsule to the inner wall of the colon and the concentration at the location based on the predetermined relationships, the first count and the second count; determining distances by solving for the distance from the imaging capsule to the inner wall of the colon on the entire circumference of the colon; identifying a polyp from the determined distances; calculating an angle enclosing the polyp; determining the width of the polyp from the calculated angle and determined distances.