PillCam Capsule Useful in Ulcerative Colitis Detection

VIENNA, Austria — Leaders of Given Imaging Ltd. announced recently at the 16th United European Gastroenterology Week conference that the PillCam COLON capsule has similar results to colonoscopies in the detection of active ulcerative colitis (UC). Active UC is associated with an increased risk of colorectal dysplasia and cancer, and regular surveillance is required.

"Patients with ulcerative colitis may be more willing to undergo surveillance using the patient-friendly option offered by PillCam COLON," said J.J.Y. Sung, MD, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The interim analysis of 42 patients assessed the accuracy of PillCam COLON capsule endoscopy in detecting inflammatory lesions and UC compared to traditional optical colonoscopy. Patients included were 18 to 70 years old and had been referred to optical colonoscopy for suspected or known inflammatory lesions or other colonic disease.

Patients underwent a traditional PEG colon prep, ingested the capsule in the morning and consumed additional laxatives thereafter to maintain clean colon and propel the capsule. Following capsule excretion, optical colonoscopy was performed. The physicians who performed colonoscopy and those who analyzed PillCam capsule results were blinded to each other's data.

Source: Given Imaging