胃カメラの開発とその後の発展

Einhorn published his idea of intragastric photography in 1889, but technology had not developed enough to realize his idea. Esophageal photography was experimented by Oebermann in 1890 and by Kelling in 1897. Shaaf conducted an experiment using his device for intragastric photography in 1898, but the device was a forward straight view type and could provide only one photograph at a time, which was far from practical application. Lange and Meltzing published their device for intragastric photography in 1898, too, which was developed basing on the same principle, structure and handling as the Japanese Gastrocamera to be developed 50 years later. It was a side view type, and it was possible to shoot about 50 photographs on a film. However, quality of the photographs was insufficient due to immature technology of sensitive materials, with rough resolution and without sensitivity to red color range. As X ray was yet to be discovered at that time, they had no idea of the position and form of the stomach in the living human body. Guessing that stomach was positioned much higher than actual, they did not insert the camera deep enough to acquire photographs helpful for diagnosis. Furthermore, no one took over their research after them. Porges and Heilpern developed the pinhole type 3 dimensional device for intragastric photography in 1929, which did not have enough practical applicability. Henning's device in 1931 was used only for experiments, too. Uji et al developed an intragastric photography device, gastrocamera, in 1950. It was a sideview type camera and able to take multiple pictures, but it was soon abandoned because of easily breakdown and insufficient quality of the photographs. However, the reseachers in 8 th lavoratory of the University of Tokyo led by Sakita added improvements to Uji's device. They established the techniques of intragastric photography and the methods of picture appreciation for diagnosing to spread this device for practical application. In 1964, basing on the principle that "Gastrocamera for diagnosis, fiberscope as a finder, " a Gastrocamera equipped with a fiberscope was developed. With some improvements, a new device that had functions of Gastrocamera, fiberscope and biopsy was developed and disseminated widely. Judging from the facts above, it would be fair to say that the first inventor of an intragastric photography device was Lange et al, and Uji et al developed an improved device. It can also be said that the reseachers of 8 th laboratory of the University of Tokyo led by Sakita made a great contribution to development of intragastric photography, as they focused on the Ujis insufficient invention, added proper improvements, established diagnostic techniques and made the device a truly practical apparatus. It may well be said that their achievement was even greater than the original invention.