title: Video Capsule Endoscopy: A Tool for the Assessment of Small Bowel Transit Time.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is a procedure that uses a wireless camera to take pictures of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. A wireless motility capsule (WMC) of a similar size has been developed, which measures pH, pressure, and temperature and can be used to assess regional and total GI transit times. VCE could also potentially be used as a tool for measuring small bowel transit time (SBTT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed to obtain SBTT from VCE and compare it with historical data generated by WMC. Gastric transit time (GTT) was also measured. Patients were included if the indication for VCE was either iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or overt obscure GI bleed (OOGIB), and they did not have any known motility disorder. Results from VCE were also compared in diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a total of 147 VCE studies performed, including 42 for OOGIB and 105 for IDA. Median GTT and SBTT were 0.3 and 3.6 h, respectively. The overall median GTT and SBTT were 0.3 and 3.6 h, respectively, in the IDA group compared with 0.3 and 3.4 h in the OOGIB group. When compared with WMC, the GTT and SBTT were significantly faster in both groups (GTT: 3.6 h and SBTT: 4.6 h). The median GTT and SBTT were not significantly different in diabetics vs. non-diabetics [GTT: 17.5 vs. 18.0 min (P = 0.86) and SBTT: 3.9 h (237 min) vs. 3.8 h (230 min), respectively (P = 0.90)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SBTT as measured using VCE is not significantly different in OOGIB compared with IDA. Both GTT and SBTT are significantly faster as assessed by VCE, which is initiated in the fasting state, compared with WMC measurement, which is initiated after a standard meal. In summary, VCE could potentially be used for measuring SBTT in the fasting state.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Jacksonville, FL , USA.
authors.forename: Reza A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hejazi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , El Paso, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bashashati
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Temple University , Philadelphia, PA , USA.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX, USA; Department of Public Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Zuber D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Mulla
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , El Paso, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarosiek
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , El Paso, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , El Paso, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
keywords: small intestine transit time; video capsule endoscopy; wireless motility capsule