JP5123615B2 - Endoscope insertion support device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and more particularly to an endoscope insertion support apparatus for navigating insertion of an endoscope into a body duct such as a bronchi.

  In recent years, diagnosis based on images has been widely performed. For example, by taking a tomographic image of a subject with an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus or the like, three-dimensional image data is obtained in the subject, and the 3D image data is obtained. Diagnosis of an affected area has been performed using dimensional image data.

  In the CT apparatus, by continuously feeding the subject in the body axis direction while continuously rotating the X-ray irradiation / detection, a helical continuous scan (helical scan) is performed on the three-dimensional region of the subject. A three-dimensional image is created from tomographic images of successive slices of a three-dimensional region.

  One such 3D image is a 3D image of the lung bronchi. The three-dimensional image of the bronchus is used to three-dimensionally grasp the position of an abnormal part suspected of lung cancer, for example. In order to confirm the abnormal part by biopsy, a bronchoscope is inserted and a tissue sample is taken with a biopsy forceps or the like.

In a body duct having a multistage branch such as the bronchi, when the location of the abnormal part is close to the end of the bronchus, it is difficult to reach the target site correctly in a short time, for example, In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-135215, etc., a three-dimensional image of a pipeline in the subject is created based on image data of a three-dimensional region of the subject, and a target along the pipeline is created on the three-dimensional image. By obtaining a route to a point, creating a virtual endoscopic image of the duct along the route based on the image data, and displaying the virtual endoscopic image, the bronchial endoscope There has been proposed a device for navigation.
JP 2000-135215 A

  However, in a conventional endoscope insertion support apparatus for navigating a bronchial insertion or the like, a reduced image from the start point to the end point of a virtual endoscopic image is displayed adjacent to the virtual endoscopic image as a bronchial reference image. However, the route from the start point to the middle branch may be the same route, and the route from the middle branch to the end point may be different. In such a case, there is a problem that it is not possible to easily determine which path is a virtual endoscopic image simply by displaying a reduced image.

In addition, the virtual endoscopic image may be rotated so as to be suitable for actual endoscope insertion. However, when multiple routes are assumed, rotation information of the virtual endoscopic image is managed for each route. Must.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when a virtual endoscopic image of a plurality of routes from a start point to an end point can be displayed, a virtual endoscopic image displayed easily and reliably It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope insertion support device that can identify the path of the endoscope.

An endoscope insertion support apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a virtual image generation unit that generates a virtual image of a body cavity in the subject based on image data of a three-dimensional region of the subject, and the virtual image generation unit. Based on the generated virtual image, reduced image generation means for generating a reduced image of the virtual image, start point end point setting means for setting a desired start point and end point of the body cavity in the subject, the start point and Path calculation means for calculating a plurality of paths of the body cavity path to the end point, insertion support image generation means for generating an insertion support image having the virtual image and the plurality of reduced images on the plurality of paths, and the insertion Arrangement form changing means for changing the arrangement form of the plurality of reduced images displayed on the support image, and for each of the paths, the reduced images belonging to all of the plurality of paths are different from the other reduced images. Display type In and displaying the insertion assisting image.

    According to the present invention, when virtual endoscopic images of a plurality of paths from the start point to the end point can be displayed, the path of the virtual endoscopic image being displayed can be identified easily and reliably. effective.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 35 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the bronchial insertion support system, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the image processing unit in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a first diagram showing a route setting screen developed by the processing of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the route setting process in FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a first diagram showing the route setting screen developed in the process of FIG. 8 is a second diagram showing a route setting screen developed by the processing of FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is a third diagram showing a route setting screen developed by the processing of FIG. 6, and FIG. 10 is a route of FIG. First bronchial model showing the route set by the setting process 11A is a diagram showing an insertion support screen at the time of insertion support on the route set by the process of FIG. 6, FIG. 11B is a second bronchi schematic diagram showing the route set by the route setting process of FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of the display form changing function of FIG. 2, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display setting window developed by the processing of FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 shows the display position on the insertion support screen of FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a first display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 13, and FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a second display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 17 shows a third display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 13, and FIG. 18 shows a fourth display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a fifth display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 13, and FIG. 20 is a diagram schematically showing VBS images that can be continuously displayed by the image playback display function of FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of the rotation information reflecting function of FIG. 2, FIG. 22 is a first diagram for explaining the processing of FIG. 21, FIG. 23 is a second diagram for explaining the processing of FIG. Is a diagram showing a first modification of the display setting window of FIG. 13, FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a first display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 24, and FIG. 26 is a display setting window of FIG. 27 shows a second display form of thumbnails that can be set in FIG. 27, FIG. 27 shows a third display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 24, and FIG. 28 shows the second display form of the display setting window of FIG. 2 modifications are shown 29 is a diagram showing a first display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 28, FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a second display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a third display form of thumbnails that can be set in the display setting window of FIG. 28, FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a modification of the bronchi schematic diagram showing the route set by the route setting process of FIG. 33 is a diagram showing a first display form of settable thumbnails in the route of FIG. 32, FIG. 34 is a diagram showing a second display form of settable thumbnails in the route of FIG. 32, and FIG. 35 is a diagram of FIG. It is a figure which shows the 3rd display form of the thumbnail which can be set in a root | route.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a bronchoscope 2 that is inserted into a bronchus in a patient, images the inside of the bronchus, and biopsies the affected tissue at the end of the bronchus. A virtual endoscopic image (hereinafter referred to as a VBS image) inside the bronchus is generated based on the input unit 4 composed of a plurality of switches provided on the side and the CT image data, and based on an input signal from the input unit 4 A bronchoscope navigation device 6 that displays a VBS image on the monitor 5 and performs navigation to the bronchus of the bronchoscope 2 and displays a live endoscopic image in the bronchus captured by the bronchoscope 2 on the monitor 7 is provided. Composed.

  In addition, although the said input part 4 was provided in the hand side of the bronchoscope 2, you may comprise by a foot switch. An endoscopic image from the bronchoscope 2 is displayed on the monitor 7.

  The bronchoscope navigation device 6 uses, for example, an MO (Magnetic Optical Disk) device, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) device, or the like to generate three-dimensional image data generated by a known CT device (not shown) that captures an X-ray tomogram of a patient. Stored in a CT image data capturing unit 11 that is captured via a portable storage medium, a CT image data storage unit 12 that stores three-dimensional image data captured by the CT image data capturing unit 11, and a CT image data storage unit 12 An MPR image generation unit 13 that generates an MPR image based on the three-dimensional image data that has been generated, and a route setting screen that includes an MPR image generated by the MPR image generation unit, which will be described later, and a navigation route ( The route to set) A VBS image generation unit 15 that generates a continuous VBS image of the route set by the route setting unit 14 based on the three-dimensional image data stored in the CT image data storage unit 12 in units of frames, A VBS image storage unit 16 that stores the VBS image generated by the VBS image generation unit 15 and an input signal from the input unit 4 are input to generate a later-described insertion support screen composed of the VBS image and a plurality of thumbnail VBS images, and the bronchi An image processing unit 17 that processes an imaging signal from the mirror 2 to display an endoscopic image on the monitor 7, a route setting screen generated by the route setting unit 14, and an insertion support screen generated by the image processing unit 17 are monitored. 5 and the keyboard and pointing device for inputting setting information to the route setting unit 14. Consists Ranaru setting information input unit 19..

  The CT image data storage unit 12 and the VBS image storage unit 16 may be configured by a single hard disk, and the MPR image generation unit 13, the route setting unit 14, the VBS image generation unit 15 and the image processing unit 17 include A single arithmetic processing circuit can be used. The CT image data capturing unit 11 captures CT image data via a portable storage medium such as an MO or a DVD. However, a CT apparatus or a hospital server storing the CT image data is connected to the hospital LAN. In such a case, the CT image data capturing unit 11 may be configured by an interface circuit that can be connected to the in-hospital LAN, and CT image data may be captured through the in-hospital LAN.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing unit 17 reproduces and displays a frame image of the VBS image in the route set by the route setting unit 14 and a frame image of the VBS image at the bronchi branch point. And a thumbnail generation function 17b for generating a thumbnail VBS image (hereinafter simply referred to as a thumbnail) of the frame image at the branch point, a thumbnail addition registration / deletion function 17c for additionally registering / deleting thumbnails, a VBS image and a thumbnail A display form changing function 17d for changing the display form of the insertion support screen, and a rotation information reflecting function 17e for reflecting the rotation information of the VBS image at the time when the rotation operation is performed on the subsequent VBS image and thumbnail. Yes.

  The operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, prior to the observation / treatment by the bronchoscope apparatus 3, the insertion support apparatus 5 captures the CT image data of the patient generated by the CT apparatus by the CT image data capturing unit 11 in step S <b> 1, The CT image data captured in step S2 is stored in the CT image data storage unit 12.

  In step S <b> 3, the route setting unit 14 displays a route setting screen 21 as shown in FIG. 4 on the monitor 5, and selects patient information on the patient information tag screen 22 on the route setting screen 21. By this selection, an MPR image composed of, for example, three different multi-sectional images of the patient selected in step S4 is generated, and this MPR image 23 is displayed on the route setting screen 21 in step S5.

  The selection of patient information on the patient information tag screen 22 is performed by inputting a patient ID for identifying a patient by the setting information input unit 19.

  Next, when the route setting tag 24 (see FIG. 4) on the route setting screen 21 is selected by the setting information input unit 19 in step S6, a route setting tag screen 25 as shown in FIG. Then, a route setting process to be described later is performed to set a route for assisting insertion of the bronchoscope in the bronchi.

  When the insertion support route is set, continuous VBS images of all routes set by the VBS image generation unit 15 are generated in units of frames in step S7, and the VBS image generated in step S8 is stored in the VBS image storage unit 16. To do. In step S9, an insertion support screen display form setting process, which will be described later, is executed.

  With the processing in steps S1 to S9 described above, preparation for insertion support by the insertion support device 5 at the time of observation / treatment with a bronchoscope is completed.

  Here, the route setting process in step S6 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the route setting process in step S6, when the route search button on the route setting tag screen 25 shown in FIG. 5 is clicked by operating the setting information input unit 19, FIG. A start point input instruction window 31 for prompting the input of the start point of the route is displayed on the route setting screen 21, and the start point is displayed on one tomographic image of the MPR image 23 using the cursor 30 on the route setting screen 21. Set. When the start point is set, the start point is set at a corresponding position on the two tomographic images of the other MPR images 23, and an end point input instruction window 32 for prompting the input of the end point of the route as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the route setting screen. 21 is displayed.

  Therefore, in step S12, the end point is set on one tomographic image of the MPR image 23 using the cursor 30 on the route setting screen 21 in the same manner as the setting of the start point. When the end point is set, the end point is set at a position corresponding to the two tomographic images of the other MPR images 23. The end point is a point indicating the position near the target that is the affected part.

  When the start point and end point are set, the route setting unit 14 searches for a route in the bronchus from the start point to the end point in step S13. Since the bronchus has a complicated route, the route in the bronchus from the start point to the end point is not necessarily uniquely determined. Therefore, in the route setting unit 14, the route in the bronchus from the start point to the end point is determined in step S 13. The first candidate is searched.

  Then, on the route setting screen 21, the route setting unit 14 superimposes and displays the route searched in step S14 on the MPR image 23 as shown in FIG. A window 33 is displayed.

  The route confirmation window 33 includes a route confirmation button 41 for instructing the confirmation of the searched route, a next candidate search button 42 for instructing a search for the next candidate route, and a route reset button 43 for resetting the start point and the end point. And a cancel button 44 for canceling the route search process.

  In step S15, it is determined whether or not the next candidate search button 42 has been clicked. If clicked, the next candidate route is automatically searched in step S16 and the process proceeds to step S17. If not clicked, the process proceeds to step S18. In step S17, it is determined whether or not the next candidate exists as a result of searching for the next candidate. If there is no next candidate, a warning that there is no next candidate route is displayed although not shown, and the process returns to step S12. Return to step S14.

  In step S18, it is determined whether or not the route reset button 43 has been clicked. If clicked, the process returns to step S11, and if not clicked, the process proceeds to step S19.

  In step S19, it is determined whether or not the route confirmation button 41 is clicked. If not clicked, the process returns to step S15. If clicked, the process proceeds to step S20. In step S20, the position information of the route and each branch point in the route is obtained. And return to step S7 in FIG.

By this route setting process, a plurality of routes from the start point to the end point (target neighborhood point) are searched as candidate routes. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the bronchial structure. In this figure, as a route from the start point a to the vicinity of the target by the above route setting process, 1) First route = start point a → branch point b → branch point c → branch Point d → Branch point e → End point f
2) Second route = start point a → branch point b → branch point c → branch point d → branch point g → branch point h → end point i
3) Third route = start point a → branch point b → branch point c → branch point d → branch point g → branch point h → end point j
An example in which three routes are searched is shown.

  When the insertion support device 5 starts insertion support during the bronchoscope observation procedure, an insertion support screen 200a as shown in FIG. 11A is displayed on the monitor 5.

  The insertion support screen 200a includes a main screen display area 101 for displaying the VBS image 53, a thumbnail display area 102 for displaying a plurality of thumbnails 103 at all branch points on the route, and a rotation operation area 203 for rotating the VBS image 53. A frame moving operation area 207 for moving the frame of the VBS image 53 forward and backward, a display change button 210 for changing the display form of the thumbnail 103, and whether to display the thumbnail 103 of the root in the thumbnail display area 102 with the highest priority. The VBS image 53 that is a virtual image corresponding to the position of the live image of the bronchoscope 2 is displayed in the main screen display area 102.

  In the insertion support screen 200, when the VBS image 53 matches the thumbnail 103, the frame of the corresponding thumbnail 103 is displayed, for example, as a thick frame or color, and this thick frame or color display indicates that the VBS image 53 is another thumbnail. It is held until it matches 103. As a result, the correspondence between the VBS image 53 and the thumbnail 103, that is, the position of the VBS image 53 in the bronchi can be easily visually recognized with respect to the actual insertion of the bronchoscope 2.

  When the route confirmation button 213 is pressed, FIG. 11B is displayed. In FIG. 11B, the route 700 and the position 701 of the VBS image are displayed on the schematic view of the bronchus, and it is possible to confirm where the VBS image 53 is displayed.

  When the display change button 210 is selected with the pointer 114 on the insertion support screen 200, the display form change function 17d of the image processing unit 17 executes a display change process as shown in FIG.

  In this display change process, a display setting window 220 as shown in FIG. 13 is displayed on the insertion support screen 200 in step S31.

Here, as the display order of the display setting window 220,
-The end point is close to the target-The route is short-The minimum curvature of the route is small-Routes inserted in the past (inserted routes are stored in a database)
-There are items such as the order of the number of characters in the comments attached to the thumbnails.

  In the display setting window 220, by selecting the apply button 222 with the pointer 114, the display form of the thumbnail 103 in the thumbnail display area 102 is changed while being displayed in the display setting window 220 on the insertion support screen 200. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the display setting window 220 is displayed on the insertion support screen 200 at a position avoiding the thumbnail display area 102.

  Returning to FIG. 13, in step S <b> 32, display conditions are input in the display setting window 220, the display form of the thumbnail 103 displayed in the thumbnail display area 102 is confirmed using the apply button 222, and the thumbnail 103 is displayed using the OK button 221. Confirm the form.

  When the display form of the thumbnail 103 is determined, thumbnail image data is generated in step S33 and stored in the database of the VBS image storage unit 16 in step S34. In step S34, the thumbnail 103 at the branch point from the start point to the end point is displayed in the thumbnail display area 102 in the determined display form for each searched route.

  15 to 19 show display forms of the thumbnails 103 that can be set in the display setting window 220. FIG.

  FIG. 15 shows a first layout in which thumbnails 103 at the branch points from the start point to the end point of the three routes searched, the first route, the second route, and the third route are arranged in order from left to right. In FIG. 15, the order of the branch (degree of depth from the base end of the branch to the periphery: for example, B6, B7, b, i, ii, etc.) can be added to the top of the thumbnail 103 as necessary. A comment marker (Δ in FIG. 15) indicating whether or not a comment is attached to the VBS image 53 at a branch point that requires attention for insertion can be attached to the lower part of the thumbnail 103.

  In FIG. 15, the frames of the thumbnails 103 at the same branch point included in all the routes in the searched route and the frames of the other thumbnails 103 are displayed in different colors. The thumbnails 103 at the branch points a to d are included in the first route, the second route, and the third route, and the thumbnails 103 at the other branch points e to j are the first route, the second route, and the third route, respectively. Since it is not included in all of the above, it is color-coded.

  16 shows the first layout of FIG. 15 in which thumbnails 103 of the branch points from the start point to the end point of the three routes searched, the first route, the second route, and the third route are arranged in order from left to right. Shows a different second layout. In FIG. 16, the branch order (for example, B 6, B 7, b, i, ii, etc.) is attached to the upper right part in the thumbnail 103 as necessary, and a comment is added to the VBS image 53 at the branch point that requires careful insertion. A comment marker (in FIG. 16, the lower right triangular black portion) indicating whether or not is attached is attached to the lower part of the thumbnail 103. Also in FIG. 16, in the searched route, the thumbnail 103 of the same branch point included in all routes and the frame of the other thumbnails 103 are displayed in different colors.

  FIG. 17 shows the second layout of FIG. 16 in which thumbnails 103 of the branch points from the start point to the end point of the three routes searched, the first route, the second route, and the third route are arranged in order from left to right. A substantially identical third layout is shown. 16 differs from FIG. 16 in that the thumbnail 103 of the same branch point included in all routes and the frame of the other thumbnails 103 are displayed in different colors in the searched route in FIG. Although not all, thumbnails 103 at the same branch point included in a plurality of routes are further color-coded. In the example of FIG. 17, the thumbnail 103 at the branch point g and the thumbnail 103 at the branch point h are not included in the first route, but are displayed in different colors because they are included in the second route and the third route. .

  18 shows the second layout of FIG. 16 in which thumbnails 103 of the branch points from the start point to the end point of the three routes searched, the first route, the second route, and the third route are arranged in order from left to right. A substantially identical fourth layout is shown. FIG. 18 differs from FIG. 16 in that the thumbnails 103 are arranged in order from left to right according to the order of branching.

  FIG. 19 shows thumbnails 103 of the branch points from the start point to the end point of the searched three routes, the first route, the second route, and the third route, in order from the left to the right according to the branch order. The fifth layout is substantially the same as the fourth layout. FIG. 19 is different from FIG. 18 in that thumbnails 103 are arranged in order from the left to the right in a tree format corresponding to the bronchial structure shown in FIG.

  When the thumbnail 103 in the display form thus determined is displayed in the thumbnail display area 102, the VBS image 53 from the start point to the end point of each route, for example, the first route and the second route as shown in FIG. The frames can be continuously displayed in the main screen display area 101 by the image reproduction display function 17a of the image processing unit 17. 20 indicates that the thumbnail display area 102 has the thumbnail 103, and the hatched frame indicates the frame displayed in the main screen display area 101.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, in the insertion support screen 200, by using the functions of the frame movement operation area 207 and the rotation operation area 203, the frame of the VBS image 53 from the start point to the end point is advanced and retreated. It is possible to rotate.

  In the present embodiment, when the frame of the VBS image 53 on a certain path is advanced and retracted and rotated at the desired branch point frame, as shown in FIG. 21, the rotation information reflecting function 17e of the image processing unit 17 performs stepping. The path of the branch point frame for which the rotation operation is instructed in S41 is confirmed, and the same rotation operation is performed by reflecting the rotation information in the frames after the branch point where the rotation operation instruction for the corresponding path confirmed in Step S42 is given. A frame with

  Then, in step S43, it is determined whether or not there is the same branch on the other route. If there is no same branch, the process is terminated. The processing is ended as a frame on which the same rotation operation is performed by reflecting the rotation information on the frames after the branch point where the error occurred.

  FIG. 22 shows a state in which the rotation operation of the frame at the branch point of the first route is reflected on the first route and the same rotation operation is reflected on the second route after the same branch point. Yes.

  FIG. 23 shows a state in which the rotation operation is performed on the frame at the second path branch point (the stitch frame in FIG. 23) after the rotation operation of the frame at the branch point of the first path is reflected in the second path. Yes. Since the second and subsequent stitch frames are not on the first route, the rotation operation is not reflected on the first route.

(Modification 1)
As a first modification of the present embodiment, by using a display setting window 220 as shown in FIG. 24, the branch name of the thumbnail 103 passing through and the number of paths displayed in the thumbnail display area 102 can be set. it can. In FIG. 24, a bronchus schematic diagram 223 showing the branch information is displayed in the display setting window 220.

  25 to 27 show examples of layouts set in the display setting window 220 shown in FIG. 24 and correspond to FIGS. 16, 18 and 19.

(Modification 2)
As a second modification of the present embodiment, a route to be displayed in the thumbnail display area 102 can be set by using a display setting window 220 as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 29 is an example of a layout according to the setting of the display setting window 220 of FIG. 25, and corresponds to FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 30, only one common thumbnail 103 may be displayed.

  In the present embodiment and in the first and second modifications, when the number of thumbnails 103 displayed in the thumbnail display area 102 is large, a display with a scroll bar as shown in FIG. 31 may be performed. .

(Modification 3)
In this embodiment, a plurality of targets can be set, and a plurality of paths can be set for each target.

  FIG. 32 is a schematic view of a bronchus when the first and second paths are set as the first target and the third and fourth paths are set as the second target with respect to the first target and the second target which are two targets. Show.

  33 to 35 are diagrams corresponding to FIGS. 16, 18 and 19 in the setting of the bronchus schematic diagram of FIG. The display shown in FIG. 31 may be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the bronchial insertion assistance system which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. The block diagram which shows the function structure of the image process part of FIG. The flowchart which shows the flow of the production | generation process of the navigation data which is the preparation of insertion assistance by the insertion assistance apparatus of FIG. 1st figure which shows the route setting screen expand | deployed by the process of FIG. 2nd figure which shows the route setting screen expand | deployed by the process of FIG. The flowchart which shows the flow of the route setting process of FIG. 1st figure which shows the route setting screen expand | deployed by the process of FIG. 2nd figure which shows the route setting screen expand | deployed by the process of FIG. 3rd figure which shows the route setting screen expand | deployed by the process of FIG. First bronchus schematic diagram showing the route set by the route setting process of FIG. The figure which shows the insertion assistance screen at the time of the insertion assistance on the route | root set by the process of FIG. Second bronchus schematic diagram showing the route set by the route setting process of FIG. The flowchart explaining the process of the display form change function of FIG. The figure which shows the display setting window expand | deployed by the process of FIG. The figure which shows the display position on the insertion assistance screen of FIG. 11A The figure which shows the 1st display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 2nd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 3rd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 4th display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 5th display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which showed typically the VBS image which can be continuously displayed by the image reproduction display function of FIG. The flowchart explaining the process of the rotation information reflection function of FIG. First diagram for explaining the processing of FIG. The 2nd figure explaining processing of Drawing 21 The figure which shows the 1st modification of the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 1st display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 2nd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 3rd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 2nd modification of the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 1st display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 2nd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the 3rd display form of the thumbnail which can be set with the display setting window of FIG. The figure which shows the modification of the bronchus schematic diagram which shows the route set by the route setting process of FIG. The figure which shows the 1st display form of the thumbnail which can be set in the root | route of FIG. The figure which shows the 2nd display form of the thumbnail which can be set in the root | route of FIG. The figure which shows the 3rd display form of the thumbnail which can be set in the root | route of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope apparatus 2 ... Bronchoscope 3 ... Insertion amount detection apparatus 4 ... Input part 5, 7 ... Monitor 6 ... Bronchoscope navigation apparatus 11 ... CT image data acquisition part 12 ... CT image data storage part 13 ... MPR image generation Unit 14 ... Route setting unit 15 ... VBS image generation unit 16 ... VBS image storage unit 17 ... Image processing unit 17a ... Frame image reproduction display function 17b ... Thumbnail generation function 17c ... Thumbnail addition registration / deletion function 17d ... Display form change function 17e Rotation information reflection function 18 Image display control unit 19 Setting information input unit

Claims (5)

Virtual image generation means for generating a virtual image of a body cavity in the subject based on image data of a three-dimensional region of the subject;
Reduced image generating means for generating a reduced image of the virtual image based on the virtual image generated by the virtual image generating means;
Start point / end point setting means for setting a desired start point and end point of the body cavity in the subject;
Route calculating means for calculating a plurality of routes of the body cavity route to the start point and the end point;
An insertion support image generating means for generating an insertion support image having the virtual image and the plurality of reduced images on the plurality of paths;
An arrangement form changing means for changing an arrangement form of the plurality of reduced images displayed in the insertion support image;
Equipped with a,
For each of the paths, the reduced images belonging to all of the plurality of paths are displayed on the insertion support image in a display form different from the other reduced images.
An endoscope insertion support apparatus characterized by the above . Image rotation means for rotating the desired reduced image on the desired path;
Rotation information reflecting means for reflecting the rotation information of the rotated reduced image on the reduced image after the reduced image rotated by the image rotating means;
The endoscope insertion support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: On the body cavity path when the body cavity path is viewed from outside the cavity path,
The plurality of paths;
Route confirmation image generation means for generating a route confirmation image on which an index indicating which position on the route the virtual image displayed as the insertion support image is superimposed;
The endoscope insertion support apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: The body cavity path in the subject is a body cavity path having a plurality of branches,
The reduced image is a reduced image of the virtual image of the plurality of branches.
The endoscope insertion support apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3 . The body cavity passage having the plurality of branches is a bronchus
The endoscope insertion support apparatus according to claim 4 .