To allow a recovery endoscope to observe the body cavity even while sucking and holding a capsule endoscope.
In this capsule endoscope 3, an area facing LED 60 in the other side of an objective optical system 56 is defined as a hollow area 68. A hood 43 is mounted on the distal end 6b of an insertion section 6 of the recovery endoscope. The insertion section 6 of the recovery endoscope is inserted into the body cavity to bring the hood 43 in contact with the capsule endoscope 3. Then, the hollow area 68 of the capsule endoscope 3 and the objective optical system 34 of the insertion section 6 are made to face each other. A suction channel 15 generates a suction force to suck and hold the capsule endoscope 3. The recovery endoscope can thus observe the body cavity via the hollow area 68 of the capsule endoscope, the upper part 51a of a rear cover 51 and the upper part 50a of a front cover 50.
Shigeru Iijima
Kobayashi Hideyoshi