UPDATE: It has come to our attention that Dr Saman Hosseini an Iranian/Canadian scientist based in the University of Toronto is in the forefront of this research [Link]
A swallowable camera-in-a-capsule could help doctors spot early signs of oesophageal cancer, research has shown. The hi-tech transparent device is about the size of a large multivitamin pill. It contains a rapidly rotating laser that shines a beam of near-infrared light onto the wall of the oesophagus, or gullet, the pipe that carries food to the stomach. Sensors record the light reflections and produce detailed microscopic images that can reveal cell changes associated with Barrett’s oesophagus, a pre-cancerous condition linked to heartburn and acid reflux.
