Optical capsule and spectroscopic method for treating and diagnosing the intestinal tract

A system for diagnosing a gastrointestinal condition comprising:

• an autonomous capsule sized to pass through the intestinal tract of a patient, the capsule comprising:
• a light source configured to emit light from the capsule;
• and a sensor configured to sense light of at least one predetermined wavelength at a first location within the intestinal tract and to output a signal representative of light sensed by the sensor at the at least one predetermined wavelength;
• a processor coupled to the sensor to receive a signal representative of light of the at least one predetermined wavelength sensed by the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to control the light source to emit light, determine at least one condition of:
• a presence of a substance, an absence of a substance, and a condition of tissue of the intestinal tract based at least in part on the signal representative of light sensed by the sensor;
• a capsule tracking system configured to track a location of the capsule within the intestinal tract independent of capsule orientation, via an acoustic signal transmitted between the autonomous capsule and a location external a patient's body, the capsule tracking system comprising a plurality of acoustic transducers disposed within the capsule, each of the plurality of the acoustic transducers being arranged to emit an acoustic signal detectable by at least one acoustic transducer external to the patient's body as the capsule passes through at least a portion of the intestinal tract;
• wherein the acoustic signal of each of the plurality of acoustic transducers provides information from which the location of the capsule may be derived;
• and
• a battery disposed within the capsule for powering the light source, the sensor, and portions of the capsule tracking system as the capsule is moving through the intestinal tract, the battery configured to allow the capsule to emit and sense light along a substantial length of the intestinal tract while transmitting the acoustical tracking signal so as to develop a map of sensed optical characteristics along a substantial length of the intestinal tract.