Advances in small bowel imaging--capsule endoscopy.

The small bowel has been a difficult area to examine due to its anatomy, location and relative tortuosity. Capsule technology has revolutionized the imaging of small bowel. Capsule endoscopy has been recommended as the 3rd diagnostic test for patients with obscure bleeding after a normal endoscopic evaluation of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Many studies have established its role in other clinical situations, such as detection of small bowel lesions in Crohn's disease, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug enteropathies, celiac disease, small bowel polyposis syndromes and small bowel tumors. Capsule endoscopy of the oesophagus is recommended as an alternative to oesophagogastroduodenoscopy for screening Barrett's oesophagus, esophageal varices and of the colon for colorectal cancer.