Patent ID: 7515953

Claim:
A method for detecting fluorescence emitted by cells in a wall of a body lumen, comprising the steps of: a. introducing a capsule swallowable by a human into a body lumen; b. illuminating cells in a lumen wall of the body lumen from a light source mounted in the capsule with a wavelength that excites a particular fluorescent signal; c. introducing to cells in the lumen wall including the illuminated cells, an exogenous fluorescent-labeled probe that binds to or is internalized by certain cells in the lumen wall comprising releasing the exogenous fluorescent-labeled probe from a first reservoir in the capsule and the particular fluorescent signal is emitted by the exogenous probe; d. generating an electric field from an electrode in the capsule to enhance uptake of the exogenous probe; e. detecting at a detector mounted in the capsule whether illuminated cells illuminated during step b emit the particular fluorescent signal; f. if the particular fluorescent signal is detected from the illuminated cells, then determining at least one of an intensity and a position in the lumen wall of the detected fluorescent signal; g. releasing a drug from a second reservoir in the capsule for killing abnormal cells indicated by the detected particular fluorescent signal; and h. controlling the movement of the capsule to keep it in place to monitor the efficacy of treatment by the released drug.