JPH08224209A - Fluorescence observing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To display both an ordinary observing image and a fluorescence observing image simultaneously without switching a light source or an image pickup means. CONSTITUTION: A light source device 1 is provided with a laser 6 for excitation which generates excitation light for fluorescence observation, and an R/G/B laser 7 which generates R/G/B light for ordinary observation, and the excitation light and the R/G/B light form one optical axis, and it irradiates a part to be observed via an endoscope 2. The fluorescent image and the ordinary image of the part to be observed are made incident on a camera 3 via the endoscope 2, and divided into three optical paths, and they transmit band-pass filters 13, 14 and a laser cut filter 15, and the fluorescent image and the ordinary image of wavelength bands λ1, λ2 are image-picked up, and the fluorescece observing image and the ordinary observing image are generated by an image processing part 4. In such a case, the wavelength bands of the excitation light and R/G/B color light and the wavelength bands λ1, λ2 of detected fluorescence are set so as not to provide the wavelength band in which they are superimposed mutually.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluorescence observation apparatus for irradiating a site of a living tissue to be observed with excitation light to obtain a fluorescence image by the excitation light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, excitation light is irradiated to a region of a living tissue to be observed, and autofluorescence generated directly from the living tissue by this excitation light or fluorescence of a drug injected into a living body is detected as a two-dimensional image. , Techniques for diagnosing disease states such as degeneration of living tissue and cancer (eg, type of disease and infiltration range) from the fluorescence image are being used, and a fluorescence observation apparatus for performing this fluorescence observation has been developed. .

In autofluorescence, when a living tissue is irradiated with excitation light, fluorescence having a wavelength longer than that of the excitation light is generated. Examples of the fluorescent substance in the living body include NADH
(Nicotinamide adenine nucleotide), FMN (flavin mononucleotide), pyridine nucleotide and the like. Recently, the mutual relationship between such endogenous substances that generate fluorescence and diseases has been clarified, and cancer and the like can be diagnosed by these fluorescences.

In the fluorescence of drugs, fluorescent substances to be injected into the living body include HpD (hematoporphyrin), Photofrin, ALA (δ-amino levulinic aci).
d) etc. are used. These drugs have the property of accumulating in cancer and the like, and by injecting them into a living body and observing fluorescence, the disease site can be diagnosed. There is also a method in which a fluorescent substance is added to a monoclonal antibody and the fluorescent substance is accumulated in the lesion by an antigen-antibody reaction.

Laser light, for example, is used as the excitation light, and a fluorescent image of the site to be observed is obtained by irradiating the living tissue with the excitation light. Weak fluorescence in the living tissue due to this excitation light is detected to generate a two-dimensional fluorescence image, and observation and diagnosis are performed.

In such a fluorescence observation apparatus, diagnosis is generally performed by comparing a normal image with a fluorescence image. For this reason, the light source device and the image pickup means for normal observation and the light source device and the image pickup means for fluorescence observation are used in exchange.
In a conventional apparatus, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-122421, the normal illumination light and the excitation light are alternately irradiated using the irradiation light switching means, and the obtained normal image and fluorescence image are obtained. And are alternately fetched in synchronism with the irradiation light switching means and stored in the memory, and the normal image and the fluorescent image are simultaneously displayed.

[0007]

However, in the conventional configuration, the normal image and the fluorescent image obtained are alternately imaged, so that the display image is deviated from the time difference between the two images rather than the real-time display. There was a risk that the observation site would be displaced. Further, when the normal image and the fluorescent image are switched at high speed to capture the images, each image is time-divided, so that a large number of screens cannot be taken at the time of display, and the displayed image becomes dark. I had a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and both the normal observation image and the fluorescence observation image can be simultaneously displayed in real time without switching the light source and the image pickup means, and the images are misaligned. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescence observation apparatus capable of obtaining a bright image without a light.

[0009]

A fluorescence observation apparatus according to the present invention comprises a light source for generating illumination light for illuminating tissue in a body cavity,
In a device having a normal image obtained by reflection of the illumination light from the tissue and an image capturing unit for capturing a fluorescence image obtained by exciting the tissue with the illumination light, the light source is the fluorescence image. Is generated by generating illumination light having a wavelength such that the wavelength region to which the normal image belongs and the wavelength region forming the normal image are separated from each other.

[0010]

The fluorescent light image and the normal image are illuminated by illuminating the tissue in the body cavity by generating illumination light having a wavelength such that the wavelength region to which the fluorescent image belongs and the wavelength region forming the normal image are separated from each other by the light source. It is possible to obtain at the same time.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of a fluorescence observation apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a wavelength band of fluorescence detected from each illumination light and living tissue irradiated to an observation site and a transmission wavelength characteristic of each filter. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fluorescence observation apparatus of the present embodiment includes a light source device 1 for generating excitation light and illumination light of three primary colors of RGB (hereinafter referred to as RGB light), and a light source device 1 for emitting light. Irradiating excitation light and RGB light to the observation site in the living body,
An endoscope 2 that detects and transmits a fluorescent image by excitation light and a normal image by RGB light to the outside of a living body, and a camera 3 that captures the fluorescent image and the normal image obtained by the endoscope 2 and converts them into an electric signal. When,
From an image processing unit 4 that processes an image signal from the camera 3 to generate a fluorescence image and a normal image, and a CRT monitor that displays the fluorescence image and the normal image generated by the image processing unit 4 simultaneously or separately. The main part is configured by including the display unit 5.

The light source device 1 includes an excitation laser 6 for generating excitation light for exciting fluorescence, and an R for obtaining a normal image.
RGB laser 7 for generating GB light, excitation laser 6,
It comprises a mirror 8 and a dichroic mirror 9 which combine the optical axes of the RGB lasers 7 into one.

The endoscope 2 has an elongated insertion portion to be inserted into a living body, and an illumination optical system including a light guide 21 for transmitting the excitation light and the RGB light from the light source device 1 to the tip of the insertion portion, and observation. An observation optical system including an image guide 22 for transmitting the fluorescent image of the region and the normal image to the eyepiece on the hand side.

The camera 3 is connected to the eyepiece of the endoscope 2 and divides the fluorescence image and the normal image incident from the endoscope 2 into three optical paths, a dichroic mirror 11, a mirror 12 and a mirror 12. A bandpass filter 13 that transmits the wavelength band λ1 for detecting fluorescence and a bandpass filter 14 that transmits the wavelength band λ2 for detecting fluorescence.
A laser cut filter 15 that blocks only the wavelength band of the excitation light from the excitation laser 6, and an image intensifier (abbreviated as II in the figure) 16 that amplifies the fluorescence image that has passed through the bandpass filter 13. , An image intensifier 17 for amplifying the fluorescence image transmitted through the bandpass filter 14, and an image intensifier 1
The CCD 18 for picking up the output image of the image No. 6, the CCD 19 for picking up the output image of the image intensifier 17, and the CCD 20 for picking up the normal image including the fluorescent image transmitted through the laser cut filter 15.

In the light source device 1, the excitation laser 6 generates excitation light λ 0. Further, white light generated by simultaneously oscillating three colors of red light λR, green light λG, and blue light λB by the RGB laser 7 is generated. Then, these lights are reflected and transmitted by the mirror 8 and the dichroic mirror 9, combined and arranged on one optical axis, and guided to the light guide 21 of the endoscope 2. Light guide 21
The four-color laser light guided to the inside of the endoscope 2 is transmitted to the distal end portion of the insertion portion through the inside of the endoscope 2 and is irradiated to the observation site in the living body.

Then, the fluorescence image due to the excitation light from the observation site and the normal image due to the RGB light are transmitted to the eyepiece on the near side through the image guide 22 of the endoscope 2, and the camera 3
Is incident on. The fluorescence image and the normal image incident on the camera 3 are transmitted and reflected by the dichroic mirror 10, the dichroic mirror 11 and the mirror 12, and are divided into three optical paths. The three divided lights pass through the bandpass filter 13, the bandpass filter 14, and the laser cut filter 15, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the wavelength bands of the illumination light generated by the excitation laser and the RGB laser and the fluorescence detected from the living tissue, and the transmission wavelength characteristics of each filter.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the pumping light λ 0,
Each wavelength band of red light λ R, green light λ G, and blue light λ B,
The wavelength bands λ1 and λ2 for detecting fluorescence are set so that they do not have overlapping wavelength bands. Then, as shown in (b) and (c) of FIG.
The transmission wavelength band of the bandpass filter 13 is λ1, and the transmission wavelength band of the bandpass filter 14 is λ2.
That is, the light transmitted through the bandpass filter 13 has a wavelength of λ
It is light having only a component in the wavelength band of 1 and is a fluorescence image of the wavelength band of λ1 to be detected among the fluorescence emitted from the observation site. Further, the light transmitted through the bandpass filter 14 is light having only a component in the wavelength band of λ2, and is a fluorescence image of the wavelength band of λ2 to be detected among the fluorescence emitted from the observation site. Also, the laser cut filter 15
Is a filter that cuts the wavelength band of the excitation light λ 0, and the light transmitted through the laser cut filter 15 is the excitation light λ 0.
It is a light that does not have a wavelength band of 0, and is a normal image composed of R, G, and B color lights.

The fluorescent image transmitted through the band pass filter 13 is amplified by the image intensifier 16 and then picked up by the CCD 18 to be converted into a video signal. Similarly, the fluorescence image transmitted through the bandpass filter 14 is
CC after being amplified by the image intensifier 17
An image is captured at D19 and converted into a video signal. The normal image that has passed through the laser cut filter 15 is the CCD as it is.
The image is picked up at 20 and converted into a video signal.

The video signal of the fluorescent image obtained by the CCD 18 and the CCD 19 is input to the image processing section 4. The image processing unit 4 performs an arithmetic process on the video signals of the fluorescence images in the two wavelength bands to generate a fluorescence observation image.

Fluorescence in the visible region at the observation site due to the excitation light has an intensity distribution in a wavelength band longer than the excitation light λ0, and is strong particularly in the vicinity of λ1 in the normal region and weak in the lesion site. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between a normal site and a lesion based on the fluorescence intensity especially near λ 1, and a lesion such as cancer can be diagnosed by such a fluorescence image. Therefore, in the image processing unit 4, for example, an operation for obtaining the ratio or difference of the fluorescence intensities in λ1 and λ2 is performed from the image signals of the fluorescence images of λ1 and λ2, and a fluorescence observation image capable of discriminating the properties of the biological tissue is generated. .

The video signal of the normal image obtained by the CCD 20 is input to the image processing section 4 as a normal observation image. The image processing unit 4 synthesizes the fluorescence observation image signal and the normal observation image signal and outputs them simultaneously, or outputs the fluorescence observation image signal and the normal observation image signal separately, and displays these image signals. Send to. Then, on the display unit 5, the fluorescence observation image and the normal observation image are displayed simultaneously or separately.

As described above, in the fluorescence observation apparatus of this embodiment,
RGB laser is used as a light source for normal observation.
Arrange so that the wavelength bands of each color light of the laser, the wavelength band of the excitation light of the excitation laser, and the wavelength bands of the fluorescence detected to generate the fluorescence image for diagnosis do not overlap. I have to. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to switch the light source and the image pickup means between the normal observation and the fluorescence observation, and the illumination light for the normal observation and the fluorescence observation are simultaneously irradiated to simultaneously generate the normal image and the fluorescence image. It becomes possible to take an image, and both the fluorescence observation image and the normal observation image can be simultaneously displayed in real time for observation.

Therefore, it is possible to always see the same observation site without any time difference between the fluorescence observation image and the normal observation image. Moreover, since a large number of screens can be displayed for displaying both images, a bright image can be obtained. Therefore, the diagnostic ability by fluorescence observation can be improved.

Also, means for switching between excitation light and RGB light,
Further, since the means for switching between the fluorescent image and the normal image is unnecessary, the device can be downsized.

As a modification of the first embodiment, it is possible to change the wavelength band of the pumping laser 6. The wavelength of the light emitted from the excitation laser 6 is 3 emitted by the RGB laser 7.
In the case of having the same wavelength as one of the wavelengths of the colored light, the RGB laser 7 can also serve as the excitation laser 6, and therefore the excitation laser 6, the mirror 8, the dichroic mirror 9, and the laser cut filter 15 can be used. Is unnecessary. Therefore, the size of the device can be reduced.

If the wavelength of the excitation laser 6 is outside the visible light range, the laser cut filter 15 is unnecessary.

Next, another configuration example of the fluorescence observation apparatus will be shown.
In a fluorescence observation apparatus, when diagnosing a disease state such as cancer of a living body organ by fluorescence observation, the wavelength of excitation light suitable for diagnosis and the wavelength of fluorescence to be detected are organ-specific; The excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength are changed for each different organ to be observed. However, in such a configuration, since the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength are exchanged in advance according to the organ to be observed and the fluorescence observation is performed, the operation at the time of diagnosis is complicated. Further, if the diagnosis is made without noticing that the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength do not match the observed region, there is a possibility that accurate diagnosis cannot be made.

Therefore, it is possible to discriminate the observation site and automatically select the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength suitable for the organ, thereby improving the operability at the time of diagnosis and performing accurate diagnosis of the observation site. An example of the structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus that can be used is shown below as an example.

3 to 5 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus,
FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view showing a detection wavelength switching filter, and FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view showing an excitation wavelength switching filter.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fluorescence observation apparatus of this embodiment has a light source device 31 for generating excitation light and a light source device 31.
Endoscope 32 that irradiates the observation site in the living body with the excitation light from the body and detects the fluorescence image by the excitation light and transmits the fluorescence image outside the living body, and the type of the connected endoscope (for example, for upper digestive tract, lower Endoscope type detecting means 3 for detecting gastrointestinal tract, bronchus, etc.
3 and a signal from the endoscope type detection means 33, and an endoscope discrimination circuit 34 for discriminating the type of the connected endoscope.
And a wavelength switching control unit 35 that determines the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength based on a signal from the endoscope discrimination circuit 34 and controls switching of the respective wavelengths, and a fluorescence detection wavelength upon receiving a signal from the wavelength switching control unit 35. Detection wavelength switching means 36 for switching between the two, a camera 37 for capturing the fluorescence image obtained by the endoscope 32 and converting it into an electric signal, and a fluorescence image processing section 38 for processing the image signal from the camera 37 to generate a fluorescence image. And a display unit 39 for displaying the fluorescence image generated by the fluorescence image processing unit 38.

The endoscope type detecting means 33 includes a bar code label 40 provided on the eyepiece part of the endoscope 32 and a bar code scanner 41 attached to the eyepiece part for reading the bar code label 40. It is equipped with.

The detection wavelength switching means 36 includes a dichroic mirror 42 and a mirror 43 for dividing the fluorescence image incident from the endoscope 32 into two optical paths, and a detection wavelength switching filter for selectively transmitting the wavelength band of the fluorescence to be detected. 44, and a filter drive unit 45 that rotationally drives the detection wavelength switching filter 44.
And is configured.

The camera 37 includes image intensifiers 16 and 17 for amplifying the two fluorescence images incident from the detection wavelength switching means 36, a CCD 18 for capturing an output image of the image intensifier 16, and an image intensifier. A CCD 19 for picking up the output image of 17 is provided.

The light source device 31 includes a multi-wavelength light source (for example, a mercury lamp) 46 for generating light containing several kinds of wavelengths, an excitation wavelength switching filter 47 for selectively transmitting a wavelength band of emitted excitation light, and an excitation light source. A filter drive unit 48 that rotationally drives the wavelength switching filter 47 is provided.

In this embodiment, when the endoscope 32 is connected to the endoscope type detecting means 33, the barcode label 40 indicating the type of the endoscope attached to the endoscope eyepiece is displayed on the barcode scanner 41. And the information of the barcode is sent to the endoscope discrimination circuit 34. Endoscope discrimination circuit 34
Discriminates the type of the connected endoscope from the information of the bar code, and outputs the information of the endoscope type to the wavelength switching control means 35.
To communicate. The wavelength switching control means 35 selects a detection wavelength suitable for an organ to be observed from the determined types of endoscopes,
A control signal is sent to the filter driving unit 45 in the detection wavelength switching means 36 to rotate the detection wavelength switching filter 44.

As shown in FIG. 4, the detection wavelength switching filter 44 is constructed by disposing six bandpass filters 44a to 44f having different transmission wavelength bands in a disk-shaped filter frame. Depending on the type of mirror, by selectively arranging one of the regions 44a and 44b, the regions 44c and 44d, and the regions 44e and 44f in front of the image intensifiers 16 and 17, detection of a fluorescence image is possible. The wavelength band can be changed.

Further, when the detection wavelength band is switched,
The wavelength switching control means 35 selects an excitation wavelength suitable for the organ to be observed from the determined types of endoscopes, and the light source device 31.
A control signal is sent to the internal filter drive section 48 to rotate the excitation wavelength switching filter 47.

As shown in FIG. 5, the excitation wavelength switching filter 47 comprises a disc-shaped filter frame and three bandpass filters 47a, 47b, 47c having three different transmission wavelength bands. Depending on the type of endoscope, by arranging any of the regions 47a, 47b, 47c in front of the multi-wavelength light source 46, the excitation wavelength band irradiated to the observation site can be changed.

After the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength suitable for the observation site are selected in this way, the excitation light is guided from the light source device 31 to the light guide 21 of the endoscope 32, and is irradiated to the observation site through the light guide 21. To be done. The fluorescence emitted from the observation site is transmitted to the eyepiece through the image guide 22 of the endoscope 32 and is incident on the detection wavelength switching means 36.
The fluorescence image incident on the detection wavelength switching means 36 is transmitted and reflected by the dichroic mirror 42 and the mirror 43 to be divided into two optical paths, and one of the selected bandpass filters in the detection wavelength switching filter 44 is respectively passed. To Penetrate. The two fluorescence images are amplified by the image intensifiers 16 and 17, respectively, and the CCD 18 and
The image is picked up by 19 and converted into a video signal.

The video signals of the fluorescent images in the two wavelength bands obtained by the CCD 18 and the CCD 19 are converted into the fluorescent image processing unit 3
8, and the fluorescence image processing unit 38 performs the same arithmetic processing as that of the image processing unit 4 of the first embodiment to generate a fluorescence observation image. Then, the output of the fluorescence image processing unit 38 is sent to the display unit 39, and the fluorescence observation image is displayed on the display unit 39.

As described above, in the fluorescence observation apparatus of this embodiment,
It is possible to distinguish the observation site by distinguishing the type of connected endoscope, and to automatically select and switch the excitation wavelength and detection wavelength suitable for the organ to be observed. Therefore, accurate fluorescence diagnosis according to each organ can be performed for a plurality of types of organs without complicated operations.

The endoscope type detecting means 33 may be provided at the connecting portion between the light guide portion of the endoscope and the light source device. Further, the type of the endoscope is not limited to the one using the barcode, but may be a type using another optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a mechanical contact, or the like to determine the type of the endoscope.

Further, by changing the number of bandpass filters of the detection wavelength switching filter 44 and the excitation wavelength switching filter 47, the selection number of the detection wavelength and the excitation wavelength can be changed.

Further, either the detection wavelength switching means or the excitation wavelength switching means may be provided with either one.

FIG. 6 is a structural explanatory view showing the schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is a configuration example in which different organs (esophagus and stomach, rectum and colon, etc.) can be discriminated from the type of connected endoscope and the insertion length of the endoscope insertion portion.

As shown in FIG. 6, the fluorescence observation apparatus of this embodiment includes a light source device 51 for generating excitation light and a sensor group for measuring the insertion length of the insertion part attached to the insertion part of the endoscope 32. 52, an insertion length detection circuit 53 that receives an output signal of the sensor group 52 and detects an insertion length, and endoscope type detection means 3
3 and an observation site discriminating circuit 54 for discriminating the type of endoscope and the observed organ region based on the information from the insertion length detection circuit 53. The configuration of the other parts is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The light source device 51 includes three lasers A55, B56 and C57 which generate lights of different wavelengths.
And a movable mirror 58, a movable mirror 59, a mirror 60 for guiding any one of the three lights from the laser to the light guide 21 of the endoscope 32, and the movable mirrors 58, 59. And a movable mirror drive unit 61.

When the endoscope 32 is connected to the endoscope type detecting means 33, the bar code scanner 4 is used as in the second embodiment.
The barcode information is read by 1 and sent to the observation region determination circuit 54 to determine the type of the connected endoscope. Then, based on this endoscope type discrimination result, the wavelength switching control means 35 drives and controls the detection wavelength switching filter 44 via the filter driving section 45 in the detection wavelength switching means 36 to switch the detection wavelength.

Further, the wavelength switching control means 35 sends a control signal to the movable mirror driving section 61 in the light source device 51 to drive and control the movable mirrors 58 and 59, and the laser A
A laser having a wavelength suitable for the observed organ is selected from among 55, laser B56, and laser C57, and the light guide 21 of the endoscope 32 is irradiated with the selected laser.

Next, when the insertion part of the endoscope 32 is inserted into the body cavity of the patient, the brightness around the insertion part is sensed by each optical sensor of the sensor group 52 provided in the insertion part, and the output of each optical sensor is output. It is sent to the insertion length detection circuit 53. Insertion length detection circuit 5
3 detects the insertion length of the insertion part by detecting the number of the optical sensor that does not sense the brightness from the tip side of the insertion part. The observation part discrimination circuit 54 predicts the part observed by the endoscope 32 based on the insertion length detection result, and transmits the information of the observation part to the wavelength switching control means 35. For example, if the type of endoscope is for the upper digestive tract,
The insertion length determines whether the observation site is the esophagus, stomach, or the like. Then, the detection wavelength and the excitation wavelength are switched again by the wavelength switching control means 35 based on the observation site detection result.

Subsequent operations relating to the photographing of the fluorescence image and the generation of the fluorescence observation image are performed in the same manner as in the second embodiment, and the fluorescence observation image is displayed on the display unit 39.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the organ to be observed can be predicted by detecting the insertion length of the endoscope insertion portion, the endoscope having the same excitation wavelength and detection wavelength suitable for fluorescence observation is used. Even if it is different for each organ that can be observed with a mirror (stomach and esophagus, colon and rectum, etc.), the excitation wavelength and detection wavelength that are suitable for each organ site can be automatically selected, and workability during diagnosis is good and observation is possible. Accurate fluorescence diagnosis can be performed according to the site.

The light source device 51 used in this embodiment is
It is possible to replace the light source device 31 of the second embodiment shown in FIG.

Also in this embodiment, the endoscope type detecting means 33 may be provided at the connecting portion between the light guide portion of the endoscope and the light source device.

Further, the sensor group may have a structure in which a pressure sensor is provided instead of the optical sensor, and the insertion length is determined depending on whether pressure is applied by the pressure sensor. Although six sensors are shown in FIG. 6, the number of sensors may be larger or smaller than this.

FIG. 7 is a structural explanatory view showing the schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is a configuration example in which an observed organ is discriminated from a fluorescence observation image and an excitation wavelength and a detection wavelength suitable for the organ are selected.

As shown in FIG. 7, the fluorescence observation apparatus of the present embodiment has a light source device 51 for generating excitation light and an endoscopy for irradiating the observation site in the living body with the excitation light to obtain a fluorescence image by the excitation light. The mirror 2, a detection wavelength switching unit 36 attached to the eyepiece of the endoscope 2 for switching the fluorescence detection wavelength, a camera 37 for capturing the fluorescence image obtained by the endoscope 2, and an image from the camera 37. Fluorescent image processing unit 3 for processing signals and generating fluorescent images
8 and a display unit 39 that displays a fluorescence observation image, an image recognition unit 65 that recognizes image features based on the fluorescence observation image from the fluorescence image processing unit 38, and an observation site from the recognized image. The observation part discriminating circuit 66 for discriminating and the wavelength switching control means 35 for controlling the switching of the respective wavelengths by determining the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength by the signal from the observation region discriminating circuit 66 are provided.

In the present embodiment, first, the excitation light is irradiated and the fluorescence image is photographed at an arbitrary excitation wavelength and detection wavelength, and the fluorescence image processing section 38 generates a fluorescence observation image of the observation site in the body cavity. The generated fluorescence observation image is transmitted to the image recognition unit 65.

The image recognition unit 65 uses a perceptron using a neural network or an image pattern recognition method such as Back Propagation method (abbreviated as BP method below).
In order to recognize the organs such as the esophagus, stomach, large intestine, and bronchus from the fluorescence observation image, the observation image of each organ is used for learning, and the features of the image of each organ are stored. Then, the image recognition unit 65 weights the signal for each pixel of the fluorescence observation image transmitted from the fluorescence image processing unit 38,
The image pattern is recognized by taking the sum.

For example, in the esophagus, since it is a lumen, the observed image becomes darker toward the center. on the other hand,
In the stomach, the image pattern is clearly different from that of the esophagus, such that the observed image is generally bright or dark on one side. Therefore, in the present embodiment, such an image difference is discriminated by performing image pattern recognition using a perceptron, a BP method, or the like, and the organ being observed is discriminated.

The image pattern signal recognized by the image recognizing section 65 is sent to the observation region discriminating circuit 66, and the observation region discriminating circuit 66 discriminates the observed organ from the image pattern. The information of the observed organ is transmitted to the wavelength switching control means 35 and switched to the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength suitable for the organ to be observed, as in the above-mentioned embodiment.

Subsequent operations relating to the photographing of the fluorescence image and the generation of the fluorescence observation image are performed in the same manner as in the second embodiment, and the fluorescence observation image is displayed on the display unit 39.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the organ to be observed can be automatically discriminated by recognizing the image pattern of the fluorescence observation image. Therefore, the excitation wavelength suitable for each organ site can be obtained without complicated work. Also, the detection wavelength can be selected, and accurate fluorescence diagnosis according to the observation site can be performed.

The image pattern recognition performed by the image recognizing section 65 may be performed during normal observation using a white light source.

Next, as a fifth embodiment, a configuration example of a fluorescence observation apparatus capable of measuring and recording the laser output of the light source will be described. FIG. 8 is a configuration explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of the fluorescence observation apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

The fluorescence observation apparatus of this embodiment includes a light source device 71 for generating excitation light, an endoscope 2 for irradiating the observation site in the living body with the excitation light to obtain a fluorescence image by the excitation light, and an endoscope. The camera 72 that captures the fluorescence image obtained in 2; a fluorescence image processing unit 73 that processes the image signal from the camera 72 to generate a fluorescence observation image; and a display unit 39 that displays the fluorescence observation image, It comprises a video tape recorder (VTR) 74 for recording a fluorescence observation image and a data recorder 75 for recording patient information.

The light source device 71 detects an excitation laser 76 for generating a laser beam as excitation light, a half mirror 77 for dividing the laser beam from the excitation laser 76 into two directions, and one of the divided laser beams. And an output measuring device 79 for measuring the laser output from the amount of light detected by the optical sensor 78.

The fluorescence image processing section 73 is sent from the image processor 80 for generating a fluorescence observation image, the superimposing section 81 for superimposing the output data of the laser light on the generated fluorescence observation image, and the light source device 71. It comprises a computer 82 for sending output data of the incoming laser light to a data recorder 75 and a superimposing section 81.

In the light source device 71, the excitation laser 76
The laser light emitted from passes through the half mirror 77, is guided to the light guide 21 of the endoscope, and is reflected by the half mirror 77 to enter the optical sensor 78.
The optical sensor 78 detects the amount of incident laser light, and the output measuring device 79 measures the laser output of the excitation laser 76 based on the detected amount of light.

The measured laser output data is sent to the fluorescence image processing unit 73 and is input to the superimposing unit 81 via the computer 82 to be input to the image processor 8.
VTR7
Recorded in 4. The laser output data is also sent from the computer 82 to the data recorder 75 and recorded together with the patient information. In addition, superimposing section 8
The fluorescence observation image on which the laser output data is superimposed in 1 can be output to the display unit 39 and displayed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the laser output data is automatically recorded through the computer, the data can be recorded easily without any complicated operation and without any input error.

[Supplementary Note] As described in detail above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the following configuration can be obtained.
That is, (1) a light source that generates illumination light for illuminating a tissue in a body cavity, a normal image obtained by reflection of the illumination light from the tissue, and a fluorescence image obtained by exciting the tissue with the illumination light. In a fluorescence observation apparatus having imaging means for respectively capturing images, the light source generates illumination light having a wavelength such that a wavelength band to which the fluorescent image belongs and a wavelength band forming the normal image are separated from each other. A fluorescence observation device characterized by the above.

(2) The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the light source is an RGB light source that generates illumination light that is laser light of three primary colors.

As in the structure of appendix 2, the RGB light sources are used to generate illumination light of three primary colors for obtaining a normal image and wavelength bands of the illumination light of the three primary colors for exciting tissue in the body cavity to generate fluorescence. Generate excitation light that belongs to one of the
By capturing both images so that the wavelength band to which the fluorescent image belongs and the wavelength band forming the normal image are separated from each other, it is possible to obtain the fluorescent image and the normal image at the same time without switching the light source or the image pickup means. In addition, the structure of the light source can be simplified without providing a light source for generating the excitation light, so that the device structure can be downsized.

(3) The light source is a laser light source for generating illumination light which is excitation light for exciting the tissue in the body cavity to generate fluorescence, and three primary color laser lights for obtaining the normal image. The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 1, further comprising: an RGB light source that generates illumination light.

As in the structure of Appendix 3, the wavelength band of the excitation light generated by the laser light source and the wavelength band of the excitation light generated by the RGB light source 3
The wavelength band of the primary color illumination light and the wavelength band of the fluorescent image formed of a plurality of specific wavelength bands detected by the image pickup means are prevented from overlapping each other, thereby forming the wavelength band to which the fluorescent image belongs and the normal image. The wavelength band of the light is separated from each other, and the fluorescent image and the normal image can be obtained at the same time without switching the light source or the image pickup means.

(4) The fluorescent image is composed of a plurality of specific wavelength fluorescent images belonging to a specific wavelength band, and the imaging means is
The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the plurality of specific wavelength fluorescence images are separated and imaged.

(5) The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 4, wherein the specific wavelength band of the fluorescent image picked up by the image pickup means has a distribution in a red region and a green region.

(6) A light source for generating excitation light for exciting the tissue in the body cavity to generate fluorescence, and guiding the excitation light to the tissue in the body cavity to display a fluorescence image from the tissue generated by the excitation light. An endoscope for transmission, excitation wavelength switching means for selectively switching the wavelength band of the excitation light emitted from the light source, and detection by selectively switching a specific wavelength band from the fluorescence image transmitted by the endoscope. Detecting wavelength switching means, a wavelength selecting means for selecting a specific wavelength band of the fluorescent image and a wavelength band of the excitation light, and information from the wavelength selecting means to identify the fluorescent image according to an observation site. A fluorescence observation apparatus comprising: a wavelength switching control unit that switches at least one of the wavelength band and the wavelength band of the excitation light.

According to the structure of appendix 6, the excitation wavelength and the detection wavelength can be automatically switched to the wavelength suitable for the fluorescence observation of each organ according to the organ to be observed, and a complicated wavelength switching operation is performed. It is possible to perform accurate fluorescence diagnosis without the need.

(7) The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 6, wherein the wavelength selection means is an endoscope type determination means for determining the type of the endoscope.

(8) The fluorescence observation apparatus according to appendix 6, wherein the wavelength selection means is an observation site discrimination means for discriminating an organ being observed by the endoscope.

(9) The observation part discriminating means is an image recognizing means for discriminating an organ in the observation image by performing image recognition based on the observation image obtained by the endoscope, Observation device.

(10) The observation part discriminating means includes an endoscope type discriminating means for discriminating the type of the endoscope, and an insertion length detecting means for detecting an in-vivo insertion length of the insertion portion of the endoscope. 9. The fluorescence observation apparatus according to supplementary note 8 configured to include:

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, both the normal observation image and the fluorescence observation image can be simultaneously displayed in real time without switching the light source or the image pickup means, and both images are not displaced. There is an effect that a bright image can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a wavelength band of each illumination light illuminating an observation site and fluorescence detected from living tissue and a transmission wavelength characteristic of each filter in the configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view showing a detection wavelength switching filter provided in a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view showing an excitation wavelength switching filter provided in a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a structural explanatory view showing a schematic structure of a fluorescence observation apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Light source device 2 ... Endoscope 3 ... Camera 4 ... Image processing part 5 ... Display part 6 ... Excitation laser 7 ... RGB laser 13, 14 ... Band pass filter 15 ... Laser cut filter 16, 17 ... Image intensifier 18, 19, 20 ... CCD

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source for generating illumination light for illuminating a tissue in a body cavity, a normal image obtained by reflection of the illumination light from the tissue, and a fluorescence image obtained by exciting the tissue with the illumination light. In a fluorescence observation apparatus having imaging means for respectively capturing images, the light source generates illumination light having a wavelength such that a wavelength region to which the fluorescent image belongs and a wavelength region forming the normal image are separated from each other. A fluorescence observation device characterized by the above.