A476R4 Patient swallows tiny Pillcam camera in a capsule that makes pictures of stomach and intestines and aids in diagnosis. Pillcam, medicine, diagnostic, stomach, cancer, medical, intestine, physician, camera, capsule, ulcer, digestion
The tiny Pillcam camera is available across NHS Scotland (Credits: Alamy Stock Photo)

More than 2,000 patients have now been screened for bowel cancer by swallowing a tiny camera hidden inside a capsule.

The colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) service is available across NHS Scotland. It involves patients swallowing a tiny camera and has allowed bowel diagnostics to continue throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

As the device, called PillCam, passes through the digestive system, it takes 50,000 pictures of the bowel, helping to identify early signs of cancer.

The images are transmitted to a recording device worn on a belt around the patient’s waist, and the images are then downloaded and reviewed at the hospital.

The single-use capsule passes through the patient’s bowel before being flushed away.

The camera takes up to 50,000 pictures of a patient's bowel (Credits: PA)
The camera takes up to 50,000 pictures of a patient’s bowel (Credits: PA)

Professor Angus Watson, consultant colorectal surgeon and clinical lead for colon capsule endoscopy, said: ‘We are delighted to reach this milestone of 2,000 patients receiving this exciting, fast and effective diagnostic procedure.

‘Traditionally, patients undergoing this test would require sedation and could be quite anxious coming in for their appointment.

‘This test is painless and although they will still need to undergo the same cleansing preparation beforehand, all they are doing is swallowing the capsule and letting the camera do the work.’

Embargoed to 0001 Thursday March 11 Undated handout photo issued by NHS England of a miniature camera, shown for size reference next to a pen. Thousands of NHS patients are to be given the camera, which is small enough to swallow, to help check if they have cancer. PA Photo. Issue date: Thursday March 11, 2021. The health service in England is trialling the use of the miniature cameras - which are the size of a pill - as a diagnostic tool for bowel cancer and other gastrointestinal problems. See PA story HEALTH Bowel. Photo credit should read: NHS England/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The PillCam, shown for size reference next to a pen. (Credits: PA)

He added: ‘This advancement in cancer diagnosis is excellent news for the people of Scotland and allows us to not only put patients first, but supports our plans as we continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic.’

The programme is part of Scotland’s Colon Capsule Endoscopy Service (Scotcap) which aims to detect bowel cancer early so that treatment can be provided as quickly as possible.

As the number of traditional colonoscopies which could be carried out was reduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, clinicians have been using the capsule to see and treat more patients while reducing waiting times, and ensuring patients receive reassurance or a quick diagnosis.

Undated handout artist impression issued by NHS Golden Jubilee of the PillCam at work. More than 2,000 patients have now been screened for bowel cancer by swallowing a tiny camera hidden inside a capsule. The colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) service is available across NHS Scotland and is supported by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) based at NHS Golden Jubilee in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire. Issue date: Tuesday February 1, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story SCOTLAND Bowel. Photo credit should read: NHS Golden Jubilee/Medtronic/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
More than 2,000 patients have now swallowed the PillCam (Credits: PA)

Health care support worker, Jacqueline Gribbon, from Provanmill, Glasgow, had the procedure at an NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde clinic at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in December.

Initially, she was offered a colonoscopy, but when she asked if there was another way the diagnostic test could be done, she was told about the PillCam.

She said: ‘I have diverticula so a colonoscopy is quite uncomfortable and because I have sleep apnoea as well, I can’t get a lot of sedation.

‘I was told I was a good candidate for the capsule colonoscopy and I was quite happy to try it.

‘It’s a lot easier, it’s just swallowing a tablet, the prep is just the same as for a normal colonoscopy and it’s a really good option if you’re worried about the procedure as it’s a lot less invasive.

‘It’s painless, it’s not uncomfortable at all, it’s easy to do and as long as you follow your prep work it’s straight forward, I’d definitely recommend it.’

Dr John Thomson, consultant gastroenterologist and associate clinical director of the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, said the technology has great potential to improve patient experience with faster diagnostic imaging, ‘facilitating targeted treatments and improving long term outcomes’.

He said: ‘This cutting-edge technology will not only help people get the health checks they need but also make it as convenient and as quick as possible.’

MORE : Cancer could be cured with ‘seek and destroy’ immune cell treatment

MORE : ‘Are you dying mummy?’: Young mum recalls painful moment she had to tell kids about rare cancer