CN102753083A

CN102753083A - Electronic endoscope system

Info

Publication number: CN102753083A
Application number: CN2011800086670A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 田中千成; 高山真一; 宇津井哲也; 小原佳巳
Original assignee: Hoya Corp
Current assignee: Hoya Corp
Priority date: 2010-02-10
Filing date: 2011-01-17
Publication date: 2012-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-17
Also published as: CN106388759B; CN102753083B; JPWO2011099322A1; CN106377223B; CN106377223A; WO2011099322A1; CN106388759A; DE112011100495T5

Abstract

An electronic endoscope system is configured from a light source emitting light including at the minimum the visible light region, an optical filter exhibiting a transmission peak at least at one specific wavelength in a continuous wavelength region including at the minimum the visible light region and a transmittance distribution in which the transmittance is higher than 0 over the whole region other than the transmission peak in the continuous wavelength region and lower than the half value of the transmission peak, an optical filter switching means for inserting/retracting the optical filter into/from the irradiation optical path of the light source, a color solid-state image capturing element for receiving the light reflected from the object irradiated by the irradiation light passing through the optical filter or not passing through the same, and an image creating means for creating a color image displayable on a monitor by processing the image-capture signal outputted from the solid-state image capturing element.

Description

Electronic endoscope system

Technical field

The present invention relates to be used to observe the electronic endoscope system of the coloured image of main body, more specifically relate to and be suitable for letting the operator observe the electronic endoscope system of specific organic total.

Background technology

Electronic endoscope system is considered to system that patient's body cavity inside is diagnosed usually, and has put in the actual use.Known following fujinon electronic video endoscope; It has utilization via the bright main body of the illumination of narrow band filter and through generating the function that highlights specific organic spectrum picture from main body receiving scattered light component, wherein narrow band filter the light with a certain wavelength band is passed thus and in this wavelength band specific organism have high absorption characteristic.Yet in such electronic endoscope system, the may observe wavelength band is fixed.Therefore, there is following problem, promptly can not obtains normal coloured image, and can not between normal coloured image and spectrum picture, compare diagnosis.

For this reason, for example, Japan Patent discloses the electronic endoscope system that No HEI 1-297042A (hereinafter referred to as patent documentation 1) has proposed to carry out comparative diagnoses temporarily.Particularly, the electronic endoscope system described in the patent documentation 1 is configured to, and controls the wavelength band of illumination light through the band filter turntable of switched arrangement on illumination path, and optionally generates spectrum picture and normal coloured image.Through taking all these images, between these images, compare then, can more easily understand the relation between specific organism and another organism, the advantage of the diagnostic accuracy that therefore can be improved.

Summary of the invention

Yet, in patent documentation 1 described electronic endoscope system, can not observe spectrum picture and normal coloured image simultaneously, so it only can not observed under the situation of two images relatively directly.Therefore, have following shortcoming, promptly not necessarily can accurately confirm the relation between specific organism and another organism.In addition, have following shortcoming, promptly light quantity is subdued by narrow band filter in a large number, and the brightness of the image that is therefore obtained is very low.

The present invention In view of the foregoing implements.That is, the present invention aims to provide to be suitable for strengthening and highlights specific organic spectrum picture brightness and be suitable for making the operator can understand the electronic endoscope system of the relation between specific organism and another organism.

In order to address the above problem, according to embodiments of the invention following electronic endoscope system is provided, it comprises: light source, its emission comprises the light of visible light belt at least; Light filter has the absorbance peak value on its specific wavelength in the continuous wavelength band that comprises visible light belt at least, and in the whole continuous wavelength band except that the absorbance peak value, has greater than zero and less than the half the transmissivity distribution of absorbance peak value; The light filter switching device shifter, it inserts the illumination path of light source with light filter, perhaps from illumination path, recalls said light filter; The color solid-state picture pick-up device, it receives reflected light from the main body that illumination light illuminated, and said illumination light is passed light filter or is not passed light filter; And video generation device, it is handled through the imaging signal that solid-state imaging device is exported and generates the coloured image that can on monitor, show.

When main body illuminates via light filter according to the present invention, can generate the enhanced while of brightness and in a screen, comprise specific organism and another organic spectrum picture, and on the display screen of monitor display image.In addition, through from illumination path, recalling light filter, can on display screen, show normal coloured image according to circumstances.Be suitable for to be considered to specific wavelength by the wavelength that hemoglobin absorbs.The wavelength that is suitable for being absorbed by hemoglobin is for example near 400nm or 550nm.

Electronic endoscope system according to embodiment can also comprise the operating means that receives user's input operation.In this situation, the light filter switching device shifter inserts light filter in the illumination path according to the input operation that operating means received or from illumination path, recalls light filter.

According to the present invention, provide to be suitable for strengthening the brightness that highlights specific organic spectrum picture and to make the operator can discern the electronic endoscope system of the relation between specific organism and another organism.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the profile according to the electronic endoscope system of the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is the block diagram that illustrates according to the structure of the electronic endoscope system of the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates the chart that is arranged on according to the spectral characteristic of the light filter in the processor of the embodiment of the invention.

The observed image that Fig. 4 shows when under having the situation of light filter, illuminating main body and obtained when not having to illuminate main body under the situation of light filter.

Fig. 5 is the chart that illustrates according to the spectral characteristic of the light filter of the processor of another embodiment.

Fig. 6 is the chart that illustrates according to the spectral characteristic of the light filter of the processor of another embodiment.

Fig. 7 is the chart that illustrates according to the spectral characteristic of the light filter of the processor of another embodiment.

The specific embodiment

Hereinafter, explain electronic endoscope system with reference to accompanying drawing according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is the profile according to the electronic endoscope system 1 of embodiment.As shown in Figure 1, electronic endoscope system 1 comprises the electronic observation device 100 that main body is carried out to picture.Electronic observation device 100 comprises the flexible pipe 11 that is coated with flexible skin 11a.The end of flexible pipe 11 is connected with terminal part 12, and this terminal part 12 is coated with the rigid resin cover.The bending section 14 that is arranged on the connecting portion place of flexible pipe 11 and terminal part 12 is configured to, and can come free crooked (rotary manipulation of the bending operation knob 13a of the hand operated unit 13 that particularly, is connected with the near-end of flexible pipe 11) through Long-distance Control.This bending mechanism is mounted in the known mechanisms in the conventional endoscope, and is configured to through making bending section 14 bendings with the rotation of the bending operation knob 13a pulling process line of pulling together.Because the direction of terminal part 12 is coordinated with the curvature movement of being carried out by aforesaid operations mutually, so the imaging region of electronic observation device 100 moves.

As shown in Figure 1, electronic endoscope system 1 comprises processor 200.Processor 200 is provided with integratedly: signal processor, and it is to handling from the signal of electronic observation device 100; And light source device, it illuminates the body cavity inside that natural light can not arrive.In another embodiment, signal processor and light source device can divide and be arranged.

Processor 200 is provided with the connector portions 20 corresponding with the connector portions of the near-end that is arranged on electronic observation device 100 10.Connector portions 20 has the syndeton corresponding with connector portions 10, and is configured to electronic observation device 100 is connected with processor 200 electrically and optically.

Fig. 2 is the block diagram that the structure of electronic endoscope system 1 is shown.As shown in Figure 2, electronic endoscope system 1 comprises the monitor 300 that is connected to processor 200 via predetermined cable.In Fig. 1, for the easy monitor 300 that omitted.

As shown in Figure 2, processor 200 comprises system controller 202 and time schedule controller 204.The parts of electronic endoscope system 1 are formed in system controller 202 controls.Time schedule controller 204 output clock pulses are to adjust the Signal Processing sequential to each circuit in the electronic endoscope system 1.

Lamp 208 sends spectrum mainly extends to sightless infrared light belt from visible light belt light (light that perhaps comprises visible light belt at least) after being started by lamp power points firearm 206.High brightness lamp is suitable for as lamp 208 such as xenon lamp, iodine-tungsten lamp and metal halide lamp.Assemble by collecting lens 210 from the illumination light that lamp 208 sends, and its light quantity is restricted to suitable amount via aperture diaphragm 212.

Motor 214 is mechanically connected to aperture diaphragm 212 via drive mechanism such as arm and gear (not shown).Motor 214 for example is the DC motor, and under the drive controlling of driver 216, is driven.In order to adjust the brightness that is presented at the video on the monitor 200, motor 214 changes the opening of aperture diaphragm 212, so that limit in response to opening from the light quantity of lamp 208 emissions.The operation of adjusting brightness for front panel 218 in response to the operator changes the well-lit reference that is used for confirming video.Should be noted that the photometric circuit of adjusting brightness through control driver 216 is a known circuit, the explanation of therefore omitting this circuit in this manual.

Front panel 218 can adopt various structures.The concrete structure instance of front panel 218 comprises the hardware button on the front surface that is installed in processor 200, the combination of touch panel formula GUI (graphic user interface) and hardware button and GUI.

Pass the illumination light of aperture diaphragm 212 and on spectrum, separate, and be incident on the plane of incidence of LCB (light carrier bundle) by light filter 213.Drive electric motor 215 is mechanically connected to light filter 213 via drive mechanism such as arm and gear (not shown) under the drive controlling of driver 216.Motor 215 inserts light path with light filter 213 and perhaps light filter 213 is recalled from light path according to the handover operation of operator for front panel 218.In the period that light filter 213 is recalled from light path, the illumination light of passing aperture diaphragm 212 directly gets into the plane of incidence of LCB 102.For example, DC motor and servomotor can be used as motor 215.

The illumination light that gets into the plane of incidence of LCB 102 is propagated through LCB 102, repeats total reflection simultaneously.Propagate through the exit facet outgoing of the illumination light of LCB 102 from the LCB 102 of the end that is set to electronic observation device 100.Distribute lens 104 to illuminate main body from the illumination light of the exit facet outgoing of LCB 102 via light.Come the reflected light of autonomous agent on the photosurface of solid-state imaging device 108, to form optical imagery.

Solid-state imaging device 108 is for example monolithic colour CCD (charge-coupled image sensor) imageing sensor; And be configured to accumulate be formed on photosensitive surface on pixel on the corresponding electric charge of light quantity of optical imagery, and optical imagery converted to and each color R, G and the corresponding imaging signal of B.The imaging signal of being changed amplifies through preamplifier, exports signal processing circuit 220 to via driving signal processing circuit 112 thereafter.In another embodiment, solid-state imaging device 108 can be CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS)) imageing sensor.

Drive signal processing circuit 112 references to storage 144 and read the unique information of electronic observation device 100.The unique information of electronic observation device 100 comprises for example sensitivity, supporting rate and the model of pixel quantity, solid-state imaging device 108.Drive signal processing circuit 112 and will export system controller 202 to from the unique information that memorizer 114 reads.

System controller 202 is carried out calculating based on the unique information of electronic observation device 100, and generates control signal.Operation and sequential that the control signal that system controller 202 utilizations are generated is come each circuit of processor controls 200 are so that carry out suitably processing to the electronic observation device that is connected to processor 200.System controller 202 can be constructed with following table, the control information of the model of electronic observation device and the electronic observation device that is suitable for having this model couplet that is relative to each other in this table.In this situation, operation and the sequential of system controller 202 through coming each circuit in the processor controls 200 with reference to the control information in the table that is associated is so that can carry out proper process to the electronic observation device that is connected to processor 200.

Time schedule controller 204 is supplied to driving signal processing circuit 112 according to the SECO of system controller 202 with clock pulses.Drive signal processing circuit 112 according to clock pulses from time schedule controller 214 supplies, with processor 200 sides on the synchronous sequential of frame rate of handled video drive and control solid-state imaging device 108.

Imaging signal from driving signal processing circuit 112 inputs to signal processing circuit 220.Imaging signal is through various processing, comprise clamp, bending, interiorly insert, AGC (automatic gain control) and AD change, and imaging signal is buffered in the frame memory (not shown) of each color signal R, G and B on the basis of frame one by one.Each is cushioned color signal and removes from frame memory with the sequential of being controlled by time schedule controller 204, and is converted into the video signal of following preassigned such as NTSC (national television system committee) or PAL (line-by-line inversion).Inputed to monitor 300 successively by video signal converted, thus with the pictorial display of main body on the display screen of monitor 300.More specifically, be illuminated while light filter 213 in main body and be inserted in the period in the light path, highlight specific organic spectrum picture and be shown., main body shows normal coloured image being illuminated the period that light filter 213 is recalled simultaneously from light path in.

Fig. 3 is the chart that the spectral characteristic of light filter 213 is shown.The longitudinal axis of Fig. 3 is represented the standardization absorbance, and trunnion axis is represented wavelength (unit: nm).As shown in Figure 3; The spectral characteristic of light filter 213 has near the absorbance peak value 400nm, 550nm and 650nm; And have than the bigger or equal absorbance of a certain value that extends to (that is 380nm to 1000nm) in the scope of infrared band at least from visible band.

Than the bigger or equal absorbance of a certain value in the scope that extends to infrared band from visible band greater than 0, and half the less than each absorbance peak value.In the present embodiment; Optical transmission rate through highlighting beyond the specific organic specific wavelength deliberately is set at big value; Light quantity of subduing and the brightness that increases spectrum picture can be suppressed, and another the organic image except that specific organism can be taken simultaneously by light filter 213.In addition, through absorbance is set at than each absorbance peak value half is littler, can also suppress decline effectively to specific organic detection sensitivity.That is,,, can in a screen, comprise specific organism and another organism simultaneously through illuminating main body via light filter 213 according to embodiment, and the spectrum picture that display brightness improves on the display screen of monitor 300.

Fig. 4 (a) shows the observed image that when illuminating main body under the situation of not using light filter 213, is obtained, and Fig. 4 (b) shows the observed image that is obtained when illuminating main body via light filter 213.The image of Fig. 4 (a) and Fig. 4 (b) is the image in same main body (oral cavity).Shown in Fig. 4 (a), when light did not pass light filter 213, the mucosa structure showed as brighter image in the oral cavity.Because specific organism does not highlight, so no light and shade contrast on the integral image.Shown in Fig. 4 (b), when light passed light filter 213, mucosa structure and specific organism in the oral cavity showed as brighter image, and specific image highlights simultaneously.400nm and near the band the 550nm corresponding to the absorbance peak value trend towards being absorbed by hemoglobin.Therefore, viewed here specific organism is the blood vessel in the oral cavity.Because the illumination light of using light filter 213 to be sent is not a narrow band light, but therefore broadband light can observe various organisms according to the different wavelengths depth of invasion.

More than be embodiments of the invention.The invention is not restricted to the structure of above description, but can in technological concept of the present invention, change according to different modes.For example, the spectral characteristic of light filter 213 is not limited to characteristic as shown in Figure 3, and can come according to the organism as object observing suitably to set.Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 shows the instance of this spectral characteristic.In each figure of Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the longitudinal axis is represented absorbance and trunnion axis is represented wavelength.In each spectral characteristic, at least one absorbance peak value is present in the predetermined wavelength band, and greater than zero and less than the half the transmissivity distribution of absorbance peak value (visible at least being with) on the whole broadband.In addition, the spectral characteristic among Fig. 5 is being suitable on the wavelength band (380nm to 420nm) that is absorbed by hemoglobin and is being suitable for having the absorbance peak value on the wavelength band (470nm to 490nm) by big intestinal absorption.Therefore, spectral characteristic is suitable for observing mucosa structure and the blood vessel structure as in the top layer of bright image.Spectral characteristic is being suitable for having the absorbance peak value on the wavelength band (380nm to 420nm and 550nm to 560nm) that is absorbed by hemoglobin among Fig. 6.Therefore, spectral characteristic is suitable for observing as bright image, blood vessel structure in top layer and the deep layer and organic mucosa structure.Spectral characteristic is being suitable for having the absorbance peak value on the wavelength band (550nm to 560nm) that is absorbed by hemoglobin among Fig. 7.Therefore, spectral characteristic is suitable for observing as bright image, blood vessel structure in the deep layer and organic mucosa structure.

Claims

1. electronic endoscope system comprises:

Light source, its emission comprises the light of visible light belt at least;

Light filter has the absorbance peak value on its specific wavelength in the continuous wavelength band that comprises visible light belt at least, and in the whole continuous wavelength band except that the absorbance peak value, has greater than zero and less than the half the transmissivity distribution of absorbance peak value;

The light filter switching device shifter, it inserts the illumination path of said light source with said light filter, perhaps from said illumination path, recalls said light filter;

The color solid-state picture pick-up device, it receives reflected light from the main body that illumination light illuminated, and said illumination light is passed said light filter or is not passed said light filter; And

Video generation device, it is handled through the imaging signal that said solid-state imaging device is exported and generates the coloured image that can on monitor, show.

2. electronic endoscope system according to claim 1,

The operating means that also comprises the input operation that receives the user,

Wherein said light filter switching device shifter inserts said illumination path according to the input operation that is received by said operating means with said light filter or said light filter is recalled from said illumination path.