A tethered capsule endoscopic-endomicroscopic (TEEM) approach for improving upper GI tract diagnosis

Project Narrative The utilization of sedated endoscopy with biopsy, the current standard of care for diagnosing upper gastrointestinal diseases, is limited because of its high cost and poor patient acceptance. In this proposal, we will develop and validate a swallowable, tethered capsule that obtains video and cellular-resolution microscopic imaging data of the entire upper GI tract in unsedated patients in the outpatient setting. This improved method for upper gastrointestinal tract diagnosis will allow us to detect and treat gastrointestinal diseases in many more patients, while lowering health care costs.