Capsule-type medical apparatus

A capsule-type medical apparatus, comprising:

• an imaging device for imaging and an illuminating device for illumination,
• cylindrical body for containing the imaging device and illuminating device, the cylindrical body having a spiral projection formed on an exterior of the cylindrical body, and
• a magnet in the cylindrical body, the magnet being magnetized in one predetermined direction perpendicular to a cylinder axis of the cylindrical body,
• wherein by an application of a revolving magnetic field generated from a magnetic field generating device arranged external to a patient's body into which the capsule- type medical apparatus is inserted, the entirety of the magnet, which is placed in the cylindrical body and magnetized only in one predetermined direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis, generates a rotating force which rotates the cylindrical body with a rotation axis thereof in a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body in such a manner as to follow rotation of the revolving magnetic field;
• the rotating force serves as a propelling force to move the capsule-type medical apparatus in one or the other direction in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body depending on a spiral direction of the spiral projection;
• and
• the imaging device and the illuminating device are provided in the diagonal direction with respect to a cylinder axis of the exterior.

A method for operating a capsule-type medical apparatus located in a body cavity, the method comprising:

• locating in the body cavity a capsule-type medical apparatus having a spiral projection formed on an exterior of a cylindrical body and a magnet, the magnet being magnetized in one predetermined direction perpendicular to a cylinder axis of the cylindrical body;
• applying a revolving external magnetic field generated from a magnetic field generating device arranged external to a patient's body into which the capsule-type medical apparatus is inserted,
• applying the revolving magnetic field on the entirety of the magnet which is placed in the cylindrical body and magnetized only in one predetermined direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis, thereby generating a rotating force which rotates the cylindrical body with a rotation axis thereof in a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body in such a manner that the entirety of the magnet follows rotation of the revolving magnetic field;
• moving by the rotating force the capsule-type medical apparatus in one or the other direction in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body depending on a spiral direction of the spiral projection;
• and
• controlling a progress of the capsule-type medical apparatus based on a control of the revolving magnetic field.

A method for performing processing for examination within a body cavity, the method comprising:

• introducing a capsule-type medical apparatus having an imaging device into a body cavity;
• imaging within the body cavity to perform the examination;
• rotating the capsule-type medical apparatus with a rotation axis thereof in a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body to change the imaging direction by the imaging device, the imaging device having an imaging direction in a predetermined direction which is different from a longitudinal direction of a cylindrical body that forms an exterior, and having an observation visual field range which is set to include the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body;
• and
• repeating the imaging and the rotating of the capsule-type medical apparatus.

A method for performing processing for examination within a body cavity, the method comprising:

• introducing a capsule-type medical apparatus having an imaging device and a cylindrical body into a body cavity, the cylindrical body having a spiral projection formed on a cylindrical peripheral surface and a magnet which is magnetized only in one predetermined direction perpendicular to a cylinder axis;
• imaging within the body cavity to perform the examination;
• applying a revolving magnetic field generated from a magnetic field generating device arranged external to a patient's body into which the capsule-type medical apparatus is inserted, thereby propelling the capsule-type medical apparatus in a predetermined direction along a cylinder axis depending on a spiral direction of the spiral projection;
• and
• performing a switch operation to reverse the direction of the revolving magnetic field when it is desired to move the capsule-type medical apparatus in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.