Patent Application
20060253036
The present invention relates to an endoscope system apparatus, particularly relates to a constitution used in a medical field for forming and displaying a spectral image (image) containing image information of an arbitrary selected wavelength region.
In recent years, in an electronic endoscope apparatus using a solid state image sensor, attention is attracted to spectroscopic imaging combined with a narrow band pass filter, that is, a narrow band filter incorporated electronic endoscope apparatus (Narrow Band Imaging-NBI) based on a prediction of a spectroscopic reflectance in the digesting organ (stomach mucosa or the like). According to the apparatus, three band pass filters of narrow (wavelength) bands are provided in place of a rotating filter of R (red), G (green), B (blue) of a face sequential type, and a spectral image is formed by successively outputting illuminating light by way of the narrow band path filters and processing three signals provided by the illuminating light while changing respective weights thereof similar to a case of R, G, B (RGB) signals. According to the spectral image, in the digesting organ of the stomach, the large intestine or the like, a fine structure which cannot be provided in a background art is extracted.
Meanwhile, it has been proposed to form a spectral image by operation processing based on the image signal provided by white light not by the face sequential type using the narrow band pass filters but by a simultaneous type for arranging a color filter of a small mosaic to a solid state image sensor as shown by JP-A-2003-93336 and Tokyo University Printing Association Foundation ‘Analysis and Evaluation of Digital Color Image’ by MIYAKE, yoichi (P148 through P153). According thereto, a relationship between respective color sensitivity characteristics of RGB which are formed into numerical value data and a spectroscopic characteristic of a specific narrow band pass filter which is formed into numerical value data is calculated as matrix data (coefficient set) and by operation of the matrix data and RGB signals, a spectral image signal provided by way of the narrow band pass filter is pseudonically provided. When the spectral image is formed by such an operation, it is not necessary to prepare a plurality of filters in correspondence with a desired band pass region, an interchanging arrangement thereof is dispensed with and therefore, large-sized formation of the apparatus is avoided and low cost formation thereof can be achieved.
Meanwhile, according to the endoscope apparatus of the background art, a color image of a taken object is recorded (filed) to an image recording apparatus and also the spectral image can be recorded to the image recording apparatus for data observation. However, in the spectral image, various fine structures can be drawn by selecting a wavelength region thereof and therefore, there is a case in which a plurality or a number of the spectral images to be recorded are provided and in this case, it is necessary to simultaneously record also information constituting a reference. That is, by selecting the wavelength region, various fine structures of, for example, the comparatively bold blood vessel, the capillary, the blood vessel at a deep position, the blood vessel at a shallow position, the cancer tissue having a different progressive degree or the like can be drawn, on the other hand, a difference between specific substances of a difference between oxyhemogrobin and deoxyhemogrobin can also be drawn as a target, further, in order to excellently extract a specific fine structure or the like, it is also necessary to adjust a wavelength region to be selected and the wavelength region becomes important information in forming and observing the spectral images.
Further, the spectral image is formed by constituting an original image by a normal color image, when the spectral image can be compared with the color original image constituting a basis thereof in observing the spectral image, the fine structure of the object is made to be easy to observe and diagnose and an apparatus having an excellent way of use is provided.
Further, when there is a plurality or a number of spectral images to be recorded, sufficient recording operation or the like is desired. cl SUMMARY OF THE INVENITON
An object of an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is to provide an endoscope system apparatus capable of being made to be easy to observe and diagnose a fine stricture of an object and capable of carrying out an efficient recording operation, by attaching wavelength information important in forming and observing a spectral image in recording the spectral image.
An exemplary embodiment of an endoscope system apparatus of the invention is characterized in:
According to the above-described constitution, first, on a side of a processor apparatus including the storing potion and the circuits, in order to calculate λ1,λ2, λ3 signals of wavelength narrow band (component) by matrix operation with regard to RGB signals, matrix data including 61 of wavelength region parameters (coefficient sets p1 through p61) constituted by dividing, for example, a wavelength region from 400 nm to 700 nm by an interval of 5 nm is stored to a memory for operation (a storing portion). Further, when an operator selects three wavelength regions (may be one wavelength region) by wavelength selecting means, matrix data in correspondence with the three wavelength regions is read from the memory, at a spectral image forming circuit, λ1, λ2, λ3 signals are operated from the matrix data and the RGB signals outputted from DSP (digital signal processor) or the like, and the spectral image is formed by the λ1, λ2, λ3 signals. Not only one sheet of the spectral image bur also a plurality of sheets of the spectral images having different wavelength regions can be formed.
Further, in recording operation, the color original image and one sheet or a plurality of sheets of the spectral images are related to each other, both of the color original image and the spectral image (s) are transmitted and recorded from the processor apparatus to the image recording apparatus, and the spectral image is recorded by attaching wavelength information thereto. Further, according to the constitution of the above (3), by one operation of the recording-operation switch, the color original image and one sheet or a plurality of sheets of spectral images (image set) and wave information are recorded to the image recording apparatus.
According to the constitution of the above (4), a plurality of small screens (divided screens) are set on a screen of the display (monitor) provided at the endoscope system apparatus, by the small screens, the color original image and one sheet or a plurality of sheets of the spectral images are simultaneously displayed.
According to an exemplary embodiments of an endoscope system apparatus of the invention, in recording the spectral image, wavelength information thereof is attached and therefore, it is facilitated to observe and diagnose a fine structure of an object, and also information useful for forming the spectral image at a succeeding time is provided. Further, by one operation of the recording-operation switch, for example, by recording the color original image and a plurality of sheets of spectral images simultaneously to the image recording apparatus as a set, sufficient recording operation can be carried out.
The CCD 15 is provided with a CCD driving circuit 16 for forming a drive pulse based on a synchronizing signal and is provided with a CDS/AGC (correlated double sampling/automatic gain control) circuit 17 for sampling and amplifying a picture image (image) signal inputted from the CCD 15, an A/D converter 18. Further, the CCD 15 is arranged with a microcomputer 20 for controlling various circuits in the scope 10 and controlling communication with the processor apparatus 12 (microcomputer 35), and a memory (ROM or the like) 21 for storing information of driving the CCD 15, identifying information of the scope 10 or the like. Further, the scope 10 is provided with a recording operation switch 22 at an operating portion thereof, provided with an illuminating window 23 at a front end portion thereof and the illuminating window 23 is connected to the light source apparatus 14 by a light guide 24.
On the other hand, the processor apparatus 12 is provided with a DSP (digital signal processor) 25 for subjecting an image signal converted into digital to various image processing, the DSP 25 forms and outputs a Y/C signal constituted by a brightness (Y) signal and a chrominance [C(R-Y, B-Y)] signal from an output signal of the CCD 15. Further, the DSP 25 may be arranged on a side of the scope 10. The DSP 25 is connected with the frame memory 26 for storing one frame image outputted from DSP 25 as an original image (Y/C signal) for forming a spectral image. According to the embodiment, a normal image (dynamic picture and stationary picture) and a spectral image (dynamic picture and stationary picture) can selectively be formed and displayed and the frame memory 26 is connected with a color signal processing circuit 27 for forming a normal color image by way of a switch 55 for switching whether a normal image is formed or a spectral image is formed (at one terminal).
Further, other terminal of the switch 55 is provided with a first color converting circuit 28, and at the first color converting circuit 28, the Y (brightness)/C (chrominance) signal outputted from the frame memory 26 is converted into a signal of RGB. A post stage of the first color converting circuit 28 is provided with a color space conversion processing circuit 29 for executing matrix operation for the spectral image and outputting spectral image signals of selected wavelengths λ1, λ2, λ3, a mode selector 30 for selecting either of a spectral image (single color mode) of a single wavelength region (narrow band) and spectral images (three colors mode) comprising three wavelength regions (the mode selector may be provided with two colors mode for selecting two colors), a second color converting circuit 31 for inputting the image signal of the single wavelength region or the image signals of the three wavelength regions (λ1, λ2, λ3) as Rs, Gs, Bs signals for subjecting the image signals to a processing in correspondence with signals of RGB of the background art and converting the Rs, Gs, Bs signals into the Y/C signal, and a signal processing circuit 32 for executing various other signal processing (mirror image processing, mask generation, character generation and the like). Further, the spectral image outputted from the signal processing circuit 32 and the normal color image outputted from the color signal processing circuit 27 are supplied to the monitor 51. The elements 28 to 32 serve as a spectral image-forming circuit.
Further, inside of the processor apparatus 12 of
Further, inside of the processor apparatus 12 is provided with the microcomputer 35 for carrying out communication with the scope 10 (microcomputer 20) and controlling respective circuits at inside of the apparatus 12 and reading matrix data from a memory (a storing portion) 36 to provide to the color space conversion processing circuit 29, and an image recording controller 37 for controlling image recording in recording operation. That is, when recording operation is carried out by the recording operation switch 22 of the scope 10, a recording control signal thereof is applied to the image recording controller 37 by way of the microcomputer 20, the microcomputer 35, the image recording controller 37, controls to output data of the normal color image by way of the filing output selector 33 and when the spectral image is selected to form, the image recording controller 37 while controls to output data of the spectral image formed while controlling to store the original image of the frame memory 26 by way of the filing output selector 33 along with the original image.
Further, the memory 36 is stored with matrix (coefficient) data (table) for forming the spectral image based on the RGB signal and according to the embodiment, an example of the matrix data stored to the memory 36 is as shown by Table 1, shown below.
The matrix data of Table 1 includes 61 of wavelength region parameters (coefficient sets) p1 through p61 constituted by dividing, for example, a wavelength region from 400 nm through 700 nm by an interval of 5 nm, and the parameters p1 through p61 are constituted by coefficients kpr, kpg, kpb (p corresponds to p1 through p61) for matrix operation.
Further, at the color space conversion processing circuit 29, matrix operation of Equation 1, shown below, is carried out by the coefficient kpr, kpg, kpb, and the RGB signal outputted from the first color converting circuit 28.
That is, when, as λ1, λ2, λ3, for example, parameters p21 (center wavelength 500 nm), p45 (center wavelength 620 nm), p51 (center wavelength 650 nm) of Table 1 are selected, as coefficients (kpr, kpg, kpb), (−0.00119, 0.002346, 0.0016) of p21, (0.004022, 0.000068, −0.00097) of p45, (0.005152, −0.00192, 0.000088) of p51 may be substituted therefor.
Further, an operation panel 41 of the processor apparatus 12 is arranged with an operation switch for selecting the wavelength region of the spectral image as shown by
In
That is, the wavelength selecting switch 41b can select the wavelength regardless of the wavelength region of the wavelength set by the set selecting switch 41a, and can also select to switch the wavelength region by constituting a start position by a value of the wavelength set selected by the set selecting switch 41a. Further, the microcomputer 35 supplies the matrix data of the wavelength regions λ1, λ2, λ3 selected by signals of the switches 41a through 41d to the color space conversion processing circuit 29. Further, the switching functions can be allocated to keys of a keyboard of the processor apparatus 12 or the like.
The embodiment is constructed by the above-described constitution, first, an explanation will be given of forming the normal image and the spectral image. As shown by
On the other hand, when the recording operation switch 22 of the scope 10 is depressed after selecting the three wavelength regions of λ1, λ2, λ3 signals by operating the operation panel 41 in the spectral image forming mode, a current one frame color image is stored to the frame memory 26 as the original image, the original image (Y/C signal) stored to the frame memory 26 is supplied to the first color converting circuit 28 by the switch 55, and the Y/C signal is converted to the RGB signal by the circuit 28. Next, the RGB signal is supplied to the color space conversion processing circuit 29, and at the color space conversion processing circuit 29, by the RGB signal data and the matrix data, matrix operation of Equation 1, mentioned above, is carried out for forming the spectral image. That is, in forming the spectral image, the microcomputer 35 reads the matrix (coefficient) data in correspondence with the three selected wavelength regions of λ1, λ2, λ3 signals from the memory 36 (Table 1) and the data are supplied to the color space conversion processing circuit 29.
For example, when p21 (center wavelength 500 nm), p45 (center wavelength 620 nm), p51 (center wavelength 650 nm are selected as the three wavelength regions (λ1, λ2, λ3), the signals of λ1, λ2, λ3 are calculated from the RGB signal by matrix operation of Equation 2, shown below.
Further, when the three colors mode is selected by the mode switching switch 41c and the mode selector 30, the signals of λ1, λ2, λ3 are supplied to the second color converting circuit 31 as signals of Rs (=λ1), Gs (=λ2), Bs (=λ3), further, when the single color mode is selected, any of the signals λ1, λ2, λ3 (for example, when the λ2 signal is selected, λ2 signal) is supplied to the second color converting circuit 31 as signals of Rs, Gs, Bs. At the second color converting circuit 31, signals of Rs (=λ1), Gs (=λ2), Bs (=λ3) are converted into the Y/C signal (Y, Rs-Y, Bs-Y) and the Y/C signal is supplied to the monitor 51 by way of the signal processing circuit 32.
In this way, the spectral image displayed on the monitor 51 is constituted by color components of wavelength regions shown by
Next, an explanation will be given of selection of the wavelengths of λ1, λ2, λ3 signals. According to embodiment, as shown by
Further, when an operator selects an arbitrary wavelength region, when, for example, the standard set a is selected, or the reset switch 41d is depressed, 400, 500, 600 (nm) are displayed on the monitor 51, here, the operator can set the wavelength regions λ1, λ2, λ3 respectively to arbitrary values by operating the wavelength selecting switch 41b. Further, the mode switching switch 41c of
Next, an explanation will be given of a processing of recording the spectral image (stationary picture) to the image recording apparatus 50 in reference to
For example, as shown by
According to the first shot spectral image, the wavelength regions are arbitrarily set, according to the second shot spectral image, as the wavelength regions, blood vessel B1 (b) set (first sheet), tissue E2 (e) set (second sheet), hemoglobin (f) set (third sheet) of the wavelength sets explained in reference to
Further, the monitor 52 of the embodiment can display one sheet of the original image or the spectral image on a total of the screen. That is, in communicating the above-described original image or spectral image, image data formed by the processor apparatus 12 is transmitted as it is without reducing a data amount to a data amount adapted to small screen (divided screen) and a deterioration in an image quality is not brought about even when the image data is displayed on the total of the screen. Further, according to the embodiment, it is possible that the spectral image formed in using the scope 10 is outputted to the monitor 51 by the control of the processor apparatus 12, the monitor 51 can is displayed with a plurality of images on one screen as shown by
Although according to the above-described explanation, an explanation has been given of the case of recording the stationary picture, the same goes with a case of recording the dynamic picture of the spectral image, and data of wavelength information is communicated to the image recording apparatus 50 along with the dynamic picture of the spectral image.
Although in the above-described embodiment, the wavelength from 400 nm to 700 nm can be divided into 61 of the wavelength regions to be selected, as the wavelength regions λ1, λ2, λ3, wavelength regions including infrared ray region can also be selected, further, by selecting the wavelength set of λ1, λ2, λ3 in accordance with fluorescence wavelengths, the spectral image constituting a target by a portion of emitting fluorescence may be formed, and by selecting a wavelength region by which a tissue dyed by scattering a colorant can be drawn, a spectral image equivalent to an image in scattering the colorant can also be provided.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the invention cover all modifications and variations of this invention consistent with the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
The present application claims foreign priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. JP2005-80425 filed Mar. 18 of 2005, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| P. 2005-080425 | Mar 2005 | JP | national |
