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Medical Edge Newspaper Column from Mayo Clinic

‘CAMERA IN A PILL’ LETS DOCTORS VIEW ENTIRE GI TRACT

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve heard about a camera you can swallow to take pictures of your whole intestines and am encouraging my wife to seek this out. She’s been evaluated for peptic ulcer, but they found nothing. We’re wondering what to do next; she still feels punk. Did I make this up or see it in a James Bond movie? — Nashville, Tenn.

ANSWER: You’re right — there is a new way to diagnose unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding. In the past, patients had X-rays or a traditional endoscope, which doesn’t provide images of the entire intestinal tract. Now, patients swallow a camera, battery, light source and transmitter in a “pill” that is the size of a large vitamin. The technology is called capsule endoscopy, and it’s rapidly becoming the preferred way to examine the small intestine for bleeding or ulcers. Standard endoscopy is still superior for examining the portions of the esophagus, stomach, and upper and lower intestinal tracts that it can reach.

The capsule begins transmitting images when the patient swallows it. Over the next eight hours, two pictures each second are transmitted to a small recording device that the patient wears around the waist. After eight hours, the patient returns the recording device to the physician so the images can be downloaded to a computer for viewing and interpretation. The camera itself passes out of the bowel and is flushed away. Capsule endoscopy is now widely available at comprehensive GI specialty practices.

Bret Petersen, M.D., Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Additional Resources:
What is Capsule Endoscopy?
Appointment Information

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve heard of male-pattern baldness, but can women get it too? What role do hormones play? – Gunnison, Colo.

ANSWER: Anyone can experience hair loss — including children. Your hair goes through a cycle of growth and rest — just like your nails and skin — and most healthy people lose 100 to 150 hairs a day. Aging accelerates hair loss, and gradual thinning is a normal part of aging. However, significant and persistent hair loss (alopecia) can lead to baldness when 1) hairs are lost more quickly than they are replaced; 2) hair comes out in clumps or patches due to illness or injury; or 3) the regrowth is thinner than the hair it’s replacing.

Complete baldness rarely occurs in women. But both men and women can experience “androgenetic alopecia,” commonly known as “pattern baldness.” This hereditary condition — largely caused by hormones — is usually permanent. Both sexes also experience “senescent alopecia.” This is gradual thinning of hair as people age. It’s not generally considered hereditary and usually doesn’t happen until about age 50.

Research shows that both men and women with AGA have higher levels of 5alpha-reductase II than people with full heads of hair. This is the enzyme that converts the hormone testosterone in the scalp into another hormone, called dihydrotestosterone. DHT has two main effects: 1) It causes hair follicles to weaken; and 2) it shortens the growing phase of hair. As a result, weakened hair follicles continue to shrink.

Other hormones can play a helpful role. For example, the female hormone estrogen may contribute to the thickening of a woman’s hair during pregnancy, converting resting hairs to growing hairs. Because women have more estrogen than men, they tend to have added protection against hair loss. However, menopause — when estrogen levels plummet — is when many women first notice hair loss.

Remember that your overall health affects the condition of your hair. Healthful food choices, appropriate exercise and adequate sleep all benefit hair health. Be careful not to traumatize your hair with too many chemicals or strenuous styling. Finally, if you think you’re losing more hair than you should, see your family doctor or dermatologist.

Gabriel Sciallis, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Additional Resources:
Treatment of Hair Loss
Appointment Information
More Information on Hair Loss

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Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To e-mail a question, go to www.mayoclinic.org, or write: Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic, c/o TMS, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, N.Y., 14207. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com.