Video endoscopy. Fundamentals and problems.

The video system represents a new endoscopic technique with major advantages, some of which point the way into the future. This system permits a large number of persons to participate directly in the examination. Documentation is more comprehensive and more reliable, and pathological processes can be observed with the aid of video tape recordings. It is to be expected that the optical elements of the video endoscope will become smaller, while the instruments will become longer. Since there is no loss of light with these endoscopes, it would appear possible that they will make the entire small bowel accessible to inspection. Compared with conventional standards, the colour quality on the video monitor screen, in particular in the red range, and of the video photograph still leaves something to be desired. User-friendly equipment provided with an automatic colour adaption facility, is required. The good thing about the future is, of course, that it comes slowly - and this applies to video endoscopy, too. Since July, 1984, our department has been acquiring experience with the video endoscope manufactured by the firm of Welch Allyn, New York, and, in the meantime, we have examined 97 patients with this system, 80 in the upper, 17 in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The heart of the video endoscope is a light-sensitive microprocessor silicon chip, roughly 4 X 4 mm in size, which acts like a miniature television camera. Properly, it is termed a charge coupled device chip (CCD chip). Utilizing the crystalline structure of the silicon chip, and its property for thermal oxidation, such electronic components as diodes, capacitors and resistors are integrated onto it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)