A radiotelemetry pill for the measurement of ionising radiation using a mercuric iodide detector

A small radiation measuring pill is briefly described which utilises the principles of radiotelemetry and the properties of a room temperature semiconductor radiation detector such as mercuric iodide. By transmitting a radio signal to a remote receiver the pill could be an effective tool in localising bleeding sites along the gastrointestinal tract and also possibly in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal carcinoma. Other uses of the radiopill are suggested. The size of the pill is 27 mm x 10 mm diameter and consists of a mercuric iodide crystal, an amplifier, a frequency modulated transmitter and one battery. The radiotransmitter operates at about 106 MHz and has a range of about 10m, and the sensitivity of the pill has been found for 99Tcm, 131I and 32P.