Patent ID: 8202697

Claim:
A method of detecting and/or treating a disease in a patient comprising: A) contacting an ingestible medical device with a bodily fluid by administering said device to a patient, said device having an exterior surface and an interior surface and comprising: a) a microarray of miniature test sites configured to fluidically communicate with the bodily fluid of the patient, wherein said microarray comprises a plurality of the test sites on a continuous surface, each site of said plurality comprising a polypeptide bioactive agent immobilized thereon to effect an interaction with a disease marker suspected to be present in the bodily fluid; b) a reservoir comprising a therapeutic agent; c) an optical microarray scanning device that is configured to optically detect signals from the plurality of test sites on the continuous surface, wherein the signals are indicative of a physical parameter indicative of the disease marker based on an interaction between the disease marker and said polypeptide bioactive agents at said plurality of test sites; d) a biometric recognition device that is configured to compare said physical parameter data with an analyte interaction profile; e) a therapeutic agent releasing device that is configured to control release of at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir; f) an interface device that is configured to facilitate communication between said microarray scanning device and said biometric recognition device; and g) a biocompatible polymer coating, coated on the exterior surface of said ingestible medical device, facilitating said device to pass through an intestinal tract; and B) operating said ingestible medical device to obtain the physical parameter indicative of the presence of said disease; and optionally C) releasing said therapeutic agent to said patient.