Given Imaging Ltd says it has won US approval for an ingestible pill camera that can help doctors screen the large intestine for polyps and other early signs of colon cancer.
The Israeli company's technology, developed from missile defence systems, uses a battery-powered camera to take high-speed photos of the intestinal tract over the course of eight hours.
The images are transmitted to a recording device worn around the patient's waist and later reviewed by a doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the company's PillCam Colon for patients who have experienced an incomplete colonoscopy. The company estimates 750,000 US patients are not able to complete the procedure each year, due to anatomy issues, previous surgery or various colon diseases.
