Merck Manual

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Video Capsule Endoscopy

By

Jonathan Gotfried

, MD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Reviewed/Revised Mar 2023
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Video capsule endoscopy (wireless video endoscopy) is a procedure in which the person swallows a battery-powered capsule.

The capsule contains one or two small cameras, a light, and a transmitter. Images of the lining of the intestines are transmitted to a receiver worn on the person’s belt or in a cloth pouch. Thousands of pictures are taken. People should stop eating or drinking for about 12 hours before this test is done.

Video capsule endoscopy is especially useful for finding hidden bleeding in the digestive tract and problems on the inner surface of the small intestine, which is an area that is difficult to evaluate with an endoscope. It does not work as well in the large intestine, but this area can be well evaluated with a colonoscope.

Video Capsule Endoscopy
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