Capsule Endoscopy Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis | Global | 2025-2032 | Includes: Camera Capsules, and Data Recorders

The global capsule endoscopy market was valued at over $487 million in 2025. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6%, reaching $623 million by 2031.

This report covers camera capsule endoscopy devices and data recorders used in gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures. It quantifies unit sales, average selling prices (ASPs), market values, growth rates, and company shares, and analyzes market drivers and limiters, recent mergers and acquisitions (M&A), recalls, and technology trends. It includes historical data to 2021 and provides forecasts until 2031.

The scope reflects how healthcare systems are integrating capsule endoscopy into broader diagnostic pathways for the small intestine, esophagus, and colon. The technology is being evaluated not only for its ability to replace certain conventional procedures but also for its role in enhancing patient comfort, expanding screening access, and improving early disease detection.

Market Overview

Capsule endoscopy enables physicians to visualize the gastrointestinal (GI) tract using a swallowable camera capsule that transmits thousands of images wirelessly to an external recorder. The procedure is noninvasive, requires minimal patient preparation, and offers extended imaging of regions often inaccessible by conventional endoscopes.

In 2025, the camera capsule segment accounted for the majority of global market value. Growth is supported by expanding clinical adoption, broader reimbursement coverage, and continued advances in imaging resolution and battery life. Capsule endoscopy has evolved from a niche tool for obscure GI bleeding to a mainstream diagnostic modality for small bowel evaluation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and suspected Crohn's disease.

Over the forecast period, expansion into esophageal and colonic applications is expected to further accelerate demand. Ongoing trials are demonstrating strong diagnostic yield in these areas, particularly as capsule platforms integrate with magnetic control systems that allow partial navigational guidance. In parallel, research into robotic actuation and AI-based lesion detection is laying the groundwork for the next generation of fully controllable and semi-automated diagnostic capsules.

• Although capsule endoscopy remains primarily diagnostic, the market outlook is positive as manufacturers continue to invest in overcoming its two main technical constraints: limited control over capsule movement and the inability to perform therapeutic interventions. Efforts to address these issues include external magnetic steering, variable frame-rate cameras, and tethered capsule prototypes capable of sampling tissue or delivering targeted therapy.

Healthcare providers value capsule endoscopy for its patient comfort and reduced resource requirements compared to traditional endoscopy, which demands sedation, specialized facilities, and recovery time. The simplified workflow aligns with outpatient and ambulatory care trends, enabling hospitals to extend GI diagnostics to non-acute environments and even home-based monitoring programs.

Market momentum is further supported by aging populations, increasing gastrointestinal disease prevalence, and growing awareness of noninvasive diagnostic options. As capsule systems continue to improve in image quality, AI-assisted analytics, and data integration, adoption is expected to broaden across developed and emerging healthcare markets.

Market Drivers

Minimal Training Required

Physicians require little additional training to perform capsule endoscopy. The core skill set overlaps with conventional endoscopy, particularly in image interpretation. The incremental learning curve primarily involves the operation of capsule devices and associated software platforms for image review and documentation. This simplicity facilitates faster adoption in hospital and outpatient settings and supports deployment across gastroenterology networks with limited specialist capacity.

Patient Preference and Comfort

Patient acceptance is a significant driver of the capsule endoscopy market. The noninvasive nature of the procedure eliminates discomfort associated with insertion, sedation, or air insufflation. The test can often be completed within the patient's daily routine, reducing anxiety and improving compliance for follow-up examinations. In population screening programs, particularly for small bowel and early colorectal disease detection, patient comfort is a critical determinant of participation rates.

Reimbursement Expansion

Favorable reimbursement policies are broadening global access. In many regions, capsule endoscopy is now reimbursed for small bowel investigation following inconclusive traditional endoscopy results. Continued advocacy by professional gastroenterology societies is helping establish reimbursement for esophageal and colonic capsule procedures, which will further expand utilization across both public and private healthcare systems.

Technological Advancements

Improvements in camera resolution, battery life, and wireless data transmission have greatly enhanced diagnostic accuracy. AI-based software capable of identifying abnormalities such as bleeding, ulcers, and polyps is reducing interpretation time and variability among readers. Meanwhile, magnetic navigation systems and robotic platforms are being evaluated for their potential to provide real-time positioning control, a key step toward full procedural integration.

Market Limiters

Technological Limitations

Capsule endoscopy serves only a diagnostic function and cannot collect biopsy samples, a feature readily available with conventional endoscopy. When lesions or polyps are detected, a follow-up traditional endoscopy is required for confirmation and tissue sampling. This two-step workflow increases cost and patient inconvenience. Until capsule-based biopsy or therapeutic capabilities are commercially available, this limitation will continue to constrain its full replacement potential.

High Device Cost and Reusability Constraints

While capsule endoscopy eliminates costs related to sedation and recovery facilities, the capsule itself remains a high-cost, single-use device. Hospitals and outpatient clinics in cost-sensitive markets may hesitate to adopt capsule endoscopy at scale, particularly where reimbursement remains incomplete or delayed.

Data Processing Burden

Each capsule produces thousands of images that require review by clinicians. Although AI-assisted software helps reduce reading time, manual verification is still necessary, which can strain diagnostic workloads in busy facilities. This creates a need for continued development in automation, cloud-based analysis, and integrated workflow management tools.

Limited Control Over Capsule Transit

The capsule's passive movement through the GI tract can result in incomplete studies or retention in patients with strictures. Despite significant progress in magnetic control and sensor-based localization, these risks persist and represent ongoing barriers to adoption among conservative providers.

Competitive Analysis

The global capsule endoscopy market in 2025 was dominated by Medtronic, which accounted for the majority of market share through its PillCam(TM) platform. Medtronic maintained leading positions in North America and Western Europe, while ranking second globally behind Jianshan Science and Technology. Medtronic's position stems from its acquisition of Covidien in 2015, which previously acquired Given Imaging, the original innovator of capsule endoscopy.

Jianshan Science and Technology (OMOM(TM)) ranked second globally in 2025. Headquartered in mainland China, the company distributes its capsule endoscopy systems across Asia, Australia, and Central and South America. Its product portfolio includes both small bowel and esophageal capsules supported by proprietary data-recording technology.

Ankon Medical Technologies held the third-largest global share in 2025. Based in Wuhan, China, Ankon developed and commercialized the NaviCam(TM) Controllable Stomach Capsule System, a patented magnetic robotic capsule guidance platform that allows clinicians to direct capsule movement within the stomach. This system is now deployed in over one hundred medical centers in China and is being evaluated for broader international expansion.

Together, these three companies accounted for the vast majority of global market share in 2025. Smaller participants and regional distributors are active in niche or early-stage markets, particularly in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Market concentration remains high, reflecting the technological complexity and regulatory requirements associated with capsule-based imaging systems.

Market Coverage and Data Scope

Quantitative Coverag

Market size, market shares, market forecasts, growth rates, units sold, and average selling prices.

Qualitative Coverag

Market growth trends, market limiters, competitive analysis and SWOT for top competitors, mergers and acquisitions, company profiles, product portfolios, FDA recalls, disruptive technologies, and disease overviews influencing demand.

Time Frame

Base year 2025, forecasts 2026-2032, historical data 2022-2024.

Data Source

Primary interviews with industry leaders, government physician data, regulatory data, hospital private data, import and export data, and iData Research's internal MedTech database.

Methodology Note

Revenue is modeled from units multiplied by ASP, validated through primary and secondary sources, and cross-checked with procedure data, installed base, and utilization assumptions across regions.

Care Settings

Hospitals, specialty clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and diagnostic imaging centers.

Geography

This edition covers the global market with analysis across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Methodology appendix and acronym glossary documenting definitions and assumptions.

Why This Report

Where is the largest and fastest-growing opportunity within capsule endoscopy, and which product categories are most likely to gain share over the forecast period?

How does the capsule endoscopy market relate to the broader GI diagnostic landscape, including traditional endoscopy, imaging, and AI-assisted detection platforms?

What forces will shape the market going forward, including reimbursement coverage, magnetic navigation systems, AI-based lesion detection, and integration into hospital and outpatient diagnostic workflows?

How do technological advancements in capsule design, power management, and image processing influence pricing, adoption, and replacement cycles?

Which product designs are gaining traction in capsule navigation and data recorders, and how are hospitals prioritizing image quality and workflow efficiency?

What is the impact of diagnostic-only limitations and device retention on purchasing decisions and technology preference among gastroenterologists?

How can suppliers strengthen their business case by linking noninvasive diagnostics, patient satisfaction, and workflow optimization to cost control and clinical productivity?

How should commercial teams plan for market expansion across emerging regions, reimbursement variations, and competition from conventional endoscopy platforms?

Where are the key risks to growth, including pricing pressure, incomplete reimbursement, and technological constraints on therapeutic functionality?

The Global Capsule Endoscopy Market Report from iData Research answers these questions with procedure-based models, company share analysis, and detailed pricing data. Use it to quantify demand by segment, forecast technology trends, plan product launches, and set pricing and partnership strategies aligned with evolving clinical practice.