Patent ID: 8449454
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A capsule endoscope system for guiding a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and floats in liquid or is submerged in the liquid in the subject, the capsule endoscope system comprising: a contact detector that detects contact with an inner wall of a lumen in the subject; a magnet which is equipped in the capsule endoscope; a magnetic field generating device that is provided at a position, which is fixed with respect to the magnet, and generates a guidance magnetic field to apply to the magnet from the outside of the subject; and a magnetic field generation controller that performs control for guidance in a direction in which the capsule endoscope moves, which is the direction of the axis of the lumen, and performs guidance control for separating the capsule endoscope from the inner wall of the lumen on based on the result of detection by the contact detector, wherein the magnetic field generation controller controls the magnetic field generating device to generate a guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance in a direction in which the capsule endoscope moves horizontally, the magnetic field generation controller only controls, when a specific gravity of the capsule endoscope is less than that of a liquid supplied into the subject and when the contact detector detects the contact with the magnetic field generating device generating no guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance downward in the gravitational force direction, the magnetic field generating device to generate a guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance downward in the gravitational force direction, the magnetic field generation controller then moves, when the contact detector detects the contact with the magnetic field generating device generating the guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance downward in the gravitational force direction, the capsule endoscope so that the capsule endoscope zigzags by repeatedly stopping the control for guidance downward in the gravitational force direction, the magnetic field generation controller only controls, when a specific gravity of the capsule endoscope is more than that of a liquid supplied into the subject and when the contact detector detects the contact with the magnetic field generating device generating no guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance upward in the gravitational force direction, the magnetic field generating device to generate a guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance upward in the gravitational force direction, and the magnetic field generation controller then moves, when the contact detector detects the contact with the magnetic field generating device generating the guidance magnetic field for performing control for guidance upward in the gravitational force direction, the capsule endoscope so that the capsule endoscope zigzags by repeatedly stopping the control for guidance upward in the gravitational force direction.