CN117378982A - 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging component - Google Patents

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of endoscopes, and discloses a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging component, which comprises: an operation lever including an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light; an infrared light source for providing infrared illumination light of a predetermined wavelength; a white light source for providing white light illumination; at least one image sensor positioned at the end of the operating rod and used for receiving the light reflected by the infrared light source and the white light source and fusing the infrared light imaging and the white light imaging into a 3D color fluorescent image; and a light conversion filter disposed in an optical path of the image sensor, one side of the light conversion filter including a coating layer for converting near infrared light into green light, and the other side of the light conversion filter including a band pass filter coating layer that is transparent to visible light and infrared light. The method and the device effectively solve the problem that the infrared image signal and the white light image signal generated on the same sensor are fused into a color image, and enable the whole endoscope system to be more compact.

Description

3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging component

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of medical devices, and in particular to endoscope technology.

Background

In the basic application of endoscopes, they are widely used for medical examination and minimally invasive surgery, allowing doctors to view and manipulate difficult-to-reach areas of the body.

However, conventional endoscopes have some limitations in terms of imaging. For example, conventional systems require the use of a dichroic prism, multiple high sensitivity sensors, and complex image processing algorithms to distinguish the images of the different light sources. The processing method not only highly depends on the accuracy of the algorithm, but also can cause error of fluorescence image boundary or intermittent imaging when the endoscope moves rapidly due to delay and imperfection of the algorithm, thereby causing discomfort and dizziness of operators. As another example, the center of the photosensitive area of the image sensor is not always aligned with the center point of the package, which results in space having to be wasted on one side of the package for the center alignment, which not only affects the 3D imaging quality, but also increases the volume of the device, limiting its operability in a narrow space.

Therefore, improvements to endoscopic imaging systems are necessary to improve their operability and imaging quality.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present application is to provide a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly to solve the above-mentioned problems set forth in the background art.

The application discloses a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging component, contains:

an operation lever including an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light;

an infrared light source for providing infrared illumination light of a predetermined wavelength;

a white light source for providing white light illumination;

at least one image sensor positioned at the end of the operating rod and used for receiving the light reflected by the infrared light source and the white light source and fusing the infrared light imaging and the white light imaging into a 3D color fluorescent image;

and a light conversion filter disposed in an optical path of the image sensor, one side of the light conversion filter including a coating layer for converting near infrared light into green light, and the other side of the light conversion filter including a band pass filter coating layer that is transparent to visible light and infrared light.

In a preferred embodiment, the assembly comprises two image sensors that constitute a binocular 3D vision system, and one of the image sensors is rotated about 180 degrees relative to the other image sensor such that the photosensitive areas of the two image sensors are centered.

In a preferred embodiment, the assembly further comprises: two very thin coaxial connectors, each of which has a maximum outer diameter of less than 8mm, respectively, for extracting image signals from both sides of the image sensor.

In a preferred embodiment, the two coaxial connectors are disposed in parallel on the upper side and the lower side of the image sensor.

In a preferred embodiment, the end of the operation lever has a transparent protective layer, and the light conversion filter is disposed inside the transparent protective layer.

In a preferred embodiment, the infrared light source and the white light source provide illumination to the surgical field through optical fibers in the joystick, and the optical fibers are used to direct light from the light sources to the surgical field.

In a preferred embodiment, the infrared light source has a wavelength of 785.+ -. 5nm.

In a preferred embodiment, one side of the light conversion filter comprises a coating for converting near infrared light of wavelength 810-1000nm to green light of peak 540nm, and the other side of the light conversion filter comprises a band pass filter coating that is transparent to 400-650nm visible light and 810-1000nm infrared light.

In the embodiment, a light conversion filter is arranged in the light path of the image sensor, one side of the light conversion filter comprises a coating for converting near infrared light with the wavelength of 810-1000nm into green light with the wave crest of 540nm, and the other side of the light conversion filter comprises a band-pass filter coating capable of transmitting visible light with the wavelength of 400-650nm and infrared light with the wavelength of 810-1000 nm; further, the assembly comprises two image sensors that constitute a binocular vision system, and wherein one image sensor is rotated about 180 degrees relative to the other image sensor such that the center points of the photosensitive areas of the two image sensors coincide; further, the assembly further comprises: two very thin coaxial connectors, each of which has a maximum outer diameter of less than 8mm, respectively, for extracting image signals from both sides of the image sensor.

Therefore, the method has the following technical effects:

first, an endoscopic imaging assembly employs a unique and innovative approach to solving the confusion and interference problems that may occur when infrared illumination and white light illumination are imaged by the same sensor. Compared with the prior art, the system not only reduces the complexity of image processing and the operation complexity, but also provides clearer and more accurate imaging results.

The invention directly converts infrared light with specific wavelength into green light by using the coated light conversion filter coated with special rare earth material, thereby eliminating the problem during imaging. Under endoscopic or minimally invasive surgery, no green tissue phenomenon is present in the human body in the 2D or 3D surgical field, and the infrared imaging region is usually excited to appear green based on ICG staining material for distinguishing or identifying tissue regions with relatively high ICG metabolism without interfering with imaging (possibly including red and other colors) produced by white light illumination. The natural distinction enables images generated by two light sources to be clearly and naturally overlapped together, the image overlapping process is usually realized by a beam splitting prism and 2 image sensors, the beam splitting prism divides light signals into a visible light and a near infrared light, then a visible light sensor and an infrared image sensor are used for generating 2 digital images, and a complex image processing algorithm is needed to be relied on for fusing a visible light color image and an infrared black-and-white image into a color fluorescent image for an operator to observe and judge. In addition, since the filter film can convert infrared light with a specific wavelength into green light, any tissue (such as tumor tissue) with high reflection of infrared light can be displayed in striking green, thereby improving the contrast and the recognizability of the image.

Second, as shown in fig. 3, one of the image sensors (red rectangle) is rotated, so that both image sensor chips are biased to the inner side when the optical center (green rectangle) is centered, eliminating the wasted distance between the original left image sensor and the base (green). Through above improvement, the width of the lens base is reduced from 8.8mm to 8.54mm, the diameter of the module is reduced from 9.4mm to 9.14mm, and meanwhile, the optical center distance of the 2 paths of sensor light paths can be reduced by the design, so that the comfort level and the depth sense of the 3D image are improved.

Thirdly, after improvement, the design length of the leading-out part of the endoscope imaging assembly is shortened from 20.75mm to 8.41mm, and the total length of the endoscope imaging assembly after final assembly is shortened from 26.88mm to 15.03mm (comprising a 7mm lens part).

In summary, the 3D color fluorescent endoscope imaging assembly provided by the present application directly converts infrared light into green light by using the light conversion filter with a special coating, effectively solves the problem of mutual interference between infrared illumination and white light illumination in the conventional imaging system, and provides a clearer and more accurate imaging result. The technology avoids the requirements of a beam splitting prism and a dual-sensor system by simplifying the light path design, reduces the complexity of image processing, and simultaneously maintains the stability and the accuracy of the fused color fluorescent image when the endoscope moves rapidly. In addition, the size of the assembly and the length of the extraction part are obviously reduced, so that the whole endoscope system is more compact, the control flexibility is improved, and the operation accuracy and safety in minimally invasive surgery are improved.

In the present application, a number of technical features are described in the specification, and are distributed in each technical solution, which makes the specification too lengthy if all possible combinations of technical features (i.e. technical solutions) of the present application are to be listed. In order to avoid this problem, the technical features disclosed in the above summary of the present application, the technical features disclosed in the following embodiments and examples, and the technical features disclosed in the drawings may be freely combined with each other to constitute various new technical solutions (these technical solutions are all regarded as being already described in the present specification) unless such a combination of technical features is technically impossible. For example, in one example, feature a+b+c is disclosed, in another example, feature a+b+d+e is disclosed, and features C and D are equivalent technical means that perform the same function, technically only by alternative use, and may not be adopted simultaneously, feature E may be technically combined with feature C, and then the solution of a+b+c+d should not be considered as already described because of technical impossibility, and the solution of a+b+c+e should be considered as already described.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of two image sensors in the prior art with the same orientation and centered photosensitive area (green rectangle).

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a rotating one of the image sensors (red rectangle) in a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a prior art connector.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a connector in a 3D color fluorescence endoscopic imaging assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a 3D color fluorescence endoscope system incorporating an imaging assembly of a first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of two separate light sources fused into one beam.

Detailed Description

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present application. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the claimed invention may be practiced without these specific details and with various changes and modifications from the embodiments that follow.

The following summary illustrates some of the innovative features of the present application:

in view of the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present application creatively propose a 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly that obtains a clear 3D color fluorescence image by means of one infrared light source and one white light source in combination with a two-way image sensor and a specific light conversion filter. The design directly converts infrared light with specific wavelength into green light by utilizing the light conversion filter made of special materials, so that a simpler image fusion process is realized, the dependence on an image processing algorithm is reduced, and the contrast and the identifiability of an image are improved. In addition, by rotating the image sensor and optimizing the connector design, a reduction in module size and a reduction in module extraction length is achieved. These improvements are of great importance for improving the imaging quality of surgery and for reducing the volume of the device.

For the purpose of making the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more apparent, embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a view showing that a first embodiment of the present application relates to a 3D color fluorescent endoscope imaging assembly, see fig. 1,1 is a lens mount, 2 is a light conversion filter, 3 is an image sensor, 4 is an imaging module, 5 is a lens, 6 is a first lens, 7 is a first spacer, 8 is a second lens, 9 is a third lens, 10 is a second spacer, 11 is a fourth lens, 12 is a fifth lens, and 13 is a lens barrel.

Referring to fig. 1, a first embodiment of the present application relates to a 3D color fluorescence endoscopic imaging assembly comprising:

an infrared light source capable of providing infrared illumination having a wavelength of 785 + -5 nm, the light source capable of directly providing illumination to the surgical field through optical fibers within the lever to provide clear visualization of tissue structures in the infrared spectrum.

A white light source provides full spectrum white light illumination, works together with an infrared light source, and provides illumination to the surgical field through the same fiber optic system.

And the at least one image sensor is positioned at the tail end of the operating rod and can receive the light reflected by the two light sources and integrate infrared light imaging and white light imaging to generate a 3D color fluorescent image. In order to form a binocular vision system, two image sensors can be configured, and the center points of the photosensitive areas of the two image sensors are overlapped by rotating one image sensor by 180 degrees, so that the stereoscopic impression and the accuracy of imaging are improved.

One light converting filter set in the light path of the image sensor has one side with coating capable of converting 810-1000nm wavelength near infrared light into 540nm peak green light and the other side with band pass filtering coating capable of transmitting 400-650nm visible light and 810-1000nm infrared light to convert the infrared light into green light effectively to raise imaging contrast and definition.

A compact operating rod is composed of optical fibres for transmitting illumination light, and a transparent protecting layer for protecting optical filter and image sensor.

Two very thin coaxial connectors, each of which is smaller than 8mm in size, respectively, for extracting signals from both sides of the image sensor, provide a smaller volume and higher flexibility for the entire endoscopic imaging assembly.

Alternatively, the distal end of the lever of the endoscope imaging assembly may be provided with a two-way image sensor, and a light conversion filter is provided inside the transparent protective layer. In other words, the light conversion filter is disposed between the image sensor and the transparent protective layer.

Such a design not only provides a clear 3D color fluoroscopic image, but also ensures the stability and durability of the imaging system. With the above configuration, the endoscope imaging assembly of the present invention can provide a high quality imaging effect in surgery, thereby helping doctors to diagnose and treat diseases more accurately.

Specific details of the above embodiments are described further below.

The 3D color fluorescent endoscope imaging assembly of the embodiment is arranged at the front end part or the camera position of the endoscope, emits visible light and near infrared light through an endoscope fluorescent light source for fluorescent imaging and white light imaging of the tissue in the human body, converts the light signals into electric signals and transmits the electric signals to an endoscope image processor to generate a 3D color fluorescent image to be displayed on a display. See fig. 5-7, wherein 61: an operating rod end section; 62: an endoscope operating lever; 63: an infrared light source; 64: an endoscope handle; 65: an illumination fiber; 66: a visible light source; 67:3D endoscopic image processor; 68: an endoscope fluorescent light source; 71: an optical fiber interface; 72: a visible light LED light emitting module; 73: a light source fusion prism; 74: and an infrared laser module.

Further, the fluorescence endoscope imaging system according to the present embodiment includes a 3D color fluorescence imaging assembly, an endoscope scope, an endoscope operation section, an endoscope light guide fiber, an endoscope image processor, and an endoscope fluorescence light source.

Further, the imaging component can collect white light image signals and near infrared image signals at the same time, the collected visible light and infrared light signals are converted into fusion signals of visible light and green light through the light conversion filter, a color fluorescent image is generated, and the fusion signals are transmitted to the cavity image processor through the operation part of the endoscope for image processing and display.

Furthermore, the white light source and the infrared light source are fully embedded in the endoscope handle, and are connected with the illumination optical fiber in the endoscope operating rod through a light source fusion cube prism, so that white light illumination or infrared light illumination can be independently provided, and white light illumination and infrared light illumination can also be simultaneously provided.

Further, the light source fusion cube prism can emit visible light of 400-650nm to the illumination fiber conversion interface at a 90-degree angle; meanwhile, near infrared laser of 780-790nm can horizontally penetrate.

And (3) an infrared light source:

the infrared light source is designed to emit infrared light having a central wavelength of 785 + -5 nm, which wavelength is specifically selected to enhance or excite a fluorescent reaction of the tissue, for example, a concentration of the fluorescent dye indocyanine green (ICG) is injected into the target tissue, and the ICG is capable of emitting an infrared spectrum of 810nm-1000nm at a certain intensity upon irradiation with 785nm infrared light, thereby providing a clearer view during fluorescent imaging. The infrared light source is connected with an optical fiber light guide system in the operating rod, and can directly transmit infrared illumination light to an operation area. The use of infrared light is particularly suitable for observing blood vessels or other body fluid circulation, as these body fluids will absorb infrared light of a specific wavelength and exhibit a specific fluorescent signal, enabling the physician to clearly observe minute structural and dynamic changes in the body.

White light source:

complementary to the infrared source is a white light source that provides white light illumination over the full spectrum for conventional color video imaging. The white light source also transmits light to the surgical field through a fiber optic light guide system inside the joystick to ensure uniform and adequate illumination of the surgical field. Full spectrum illumination is necessary to enhance the natural color and detail of the image, especially when it is desired to distinguish tissue types or identify specific tissue features.

The combined use of these two light sources not only enhances the applicability of the imaging system in different situations, but also enables the system to flexibly switch or use both infrared light and white light illumination depending on the surgical needs. The design greatly improves the practicability and imaging quality of the endoscope imaging assembly in a complex operation environment. By precisely controlling the intensity and timing of the two light sources, imaging sharpness and contrast can be maximized, thereby helping doctors to better diagnose and treat disease.

An image sensor:

in this particular embodiment of the 3D color fluorescence endoscopic imaging assembly, the design of the image sensors is critical because they are responsible for capturing reflected light from the surgical field illuminated by the infrared and white light sources and converting this information into digital images. The system includes at least one high resolution image sensor, typically located at the end of the joystick, capable of receiving and recording light from different wavelength light sources. These sensors are specifically designed to sensitively capture subtle differences in infrared and white light and enable seamless fusion of the two spectra of image information, thereby generating high quality 3D color fluoroscopic images, providing more abundant visual information to guide the surgical procedure.

Alternatively, to further enhance imaging quality, the 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly may be configured with two image sensors, creating a binocular vision system. The binocular system utilizes image information captured by two sensors to generate a three-dimensional image with depth perception through a stereoscopic vision processing technology. One of the image sensors may be fixedly mounted and the other sensor may be rotated about 180 degrees in order to align the center points of the photosensitive areas of the two sensors. This rotation and alignment ensures consistency in geometric alignment of the images captured by the two sensors, thereby reducing registration errors in subsequent image processing and enhancing the accuracy and clarity of stereoscopic imaging.

The unique dual-sensor configuration not only improves the stereoscopic impression and the spatial resolution of imaging, but also allows the same field of view to be compared under different spectrums, thereby greatly improving the identification capability of tissue states in the surgical process. The high sensitivity and fast response time of these image sensors enable clear images to be captured even under dynamic or low illumination conditions, providing more accurate visual information to the physician, thereby improving the success rate and safety of the procedure.

A light conversion filter:

the light conversion filter is a key technology in this embodiment, and is located in the optical path of the image sensor and plays a crucial role. The light conversion filter has unique design, and one side of the light conversion filter is coated with a special light conversion material, so that near infrared light with the wavelength of 810-1000nm can be converted into green light with the peak of 540 nm. This conversion is critical for fluorescence imaging because it not only enhances the imaging contrast, but also makes the image more clear and visible because of the higher sensitivity of the human eye to green light. The other side of the light conversion filter is a band-pass filter coating which has high transmittance and can selectively transmit 400-650nm visible light and 810-1000nm infrared light. This design allows two different wavelengths of light to pass through the same light conversion filter while blocking other wavelengths of light, ensuring the purity and accuracy of the image quality. In addition, the light conversion filter further improves the brightness and contrast of the image by reducing dispersion and light loss.

This light conversion filter acts as a bridge throughout the imaging system and not just as a simple optical element. Its conversion efficiency directly affects the overall performance of the imaging system, including the sharpness of the image, the authenticity of the color, and the accuracy of the imaging. Through the efficient light conversion, doctors can obtain more visual image information when performing minimally invasive surgery, so that surgical tools can be accurately navigated, and the accuracy and safety of the surgery are improved. Furthermore, this optimized light conversion technique also means that the light sensitivity requirements for the image sensor are reduced, so that a lower cost, more stable performing sensor can be used, enabling a cost-effective optimization.

More specifically, the light conversion filter is a light conversion filter with two coated surfaces, one side of the light conversion filter is coated with a bandpass filter layer, and the bandpass filter layer is formed by laminating a plurality of dielectric films, so that the bandpass filter function with high transmittance can be realized. The transmission band of the band-pass filter layer covers the visible light region of 400-650nm and the near infrared light region of 810-1000 nm. The other side is plated with a light conversion layer, and the main component of the layer is chromium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Cr: YAG) fluorescent powder or more efficient rare earth doped fluorescent materials such as NaYF4 (sodium yttrium tetrafluoride) and SrAl2O4 (strontium aluminate) are adopted. The fluorescent conversion layer can absorb near infrared light in 810-1000nm wave band and efficiently convert and emit green fluorescent light with peak wavelength of about 540 nm.

Optionally, the light conversion filter uses K7 or K9 glass of German Schottky company as a substrate, one side of the glass is protected from vacuum coating by attaching a clamp, the other side is coated by adopting a vacuum thermal evaporation technology, and sodium yttrium tetrafluoride powder is fed into a vacuum coating furnace, low vacuum is pumped, the temperature is slowly raised to 950-980 ℃, the temperature is kept for 6-7 hours, and the heating is stopped, so that the furnace temperature naturally drops. Cooling to room temperature to form a light conversion coating film; after the light conversion coating is formed, an infrared antireflection film of 400-650nm and 810-1000nm is coated on the other side of the glass.

Further, optionally, doping the sodium yttrium tetrafluoride with yb3+ and tm3+ ions may enable infrared light to be converted into different colors of visible light: yb3+ (Ytterbium) absorbs energy in near infrared light. Tm3+ (Thulium): tm3+ is another rare earth ion capable of emitting visible and near infrared light upon absorbing energy transferred by yb3+, for example tm3+ is another rare earth ion capable of emitting blue and violet light upon absorbing energy, and improving image contrast and dynamic range. Therefore, the effect of converting infrared light into color fluorescence can be realized through different proportions.

When the 3D color fluorescence imaging component works, the reflected loop light from the operation area comprises white light imaging light and infrared excitation light. The composite light beam firstly passes through a bandpass filter layer of the light conversion filter, near infrared part of light is gated and transmitted, and is absorbed and converted by the fluorescent conversion layer to output green fluorescence, and the green fluorescence is overlapped with transmitted white light imaging light and enters the image sensor for imaging. Thus, white light imaging and high-contrast fluorescence imaging can be obtained simultaneously through a single-path imaging system and a simple light conversion filter, and a complex light splitting system is not needed. The light conversion filter has novel design and high conversion efficiency, and can generate clear 3D color fluorescent images.

An operation rod:

in the 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly, the joystick is designed to ensure efficient light transmission and protection of the imaging assembly. The operating rod is made of light materials and has a compact design, and sufficient strength and flexibility are provided to adapt to various operation requirements. The built-in optical fiber is particularly selected to have high light transmission efficiency, and can efficiently transmit illumination light emitted by the infrared light source and the white light source to the operation region. The high quality optical fiber can reduce the attenuation and dispersion of light, ensure the intensity and quality of the light reaching the operation area, and provide a clear view for doctors.

The tail end of the operating rod is provided with a transparent protective layer or a protective window, and the sapphire glass with the visible light and infrared light on the inner side and an antireflection film can be adopted, so that the effect of physical protection is achieved, potential collision damage in operation is prevented, the tightness of the endoscope is ensured, body fluid and other pollutants are prevented from entering the endoscope, the high light transmittance of the visible light and the infrared light is ensured, and barrier-free transmission of imaging light is ensured. In addition, the protective layer plays a double protection role on the light conversion filter and the image sensor, so that not only is the damage of external factors on the light conversion filter prevented, but also the direct damage to the sensor possibly caused is resisted.

With such a carefully designed lever, the endoscopic imaging assembly is able to maintain stability in a complex surgical environment while reducing surgical fatigue due to lever body volume and weight. The addition of the transparent protective layer further enhances the durability and service life of the whole endoscope imaging assembly, and ensures the reliability and safety of medical equipment in clinical application.

A coaxial connector:

in the 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging assembly, the design key of the coaxial connector is its miniaturization and efficient signal transmission capability. These connectors lead from both sides of the image sensor, transmitting the captured image data to an external processing system. The diameter of each connector is less than 8mm, and the miniature design not only greatly reduces the size of the head of the endoscope, but also provides greater operating space and flexibility for the operation, so that the endoscope can more easily pass through a narrow channel and enter difficult-to-reach areas in the body.

These very fine coaxial connectors employ advanced materials and manufacturing techniques to ensure stability and low loss of the signal during transmission. They have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand repeated bending and twisting, which is particularly important for endoscopes that often require operation in small or complex spaces. Meanwhile, the connectors have excellent anti-interference performance, can stably work in various electromagnetic environments, and ensure the reliability of image transmission and the high definition of image quality.

In order to further improve the signal transmission efficiency, the coaxial connectors also consider electromagnetic compatibility and signal integrity in design, so that the influence of electromagnetic interference on signals is reduced, and the speed and quality of image data transmission are improved. The design of the housing also allows for biocompatibility to ensure safety and durability when in contact with the human body. The design of these details represents a very high requirement for accuracy and reliability in high performance medical devices, and represents an advancement in the field of miniaturization and high performance of endoscopic technology.

The technical effects are as follows:

in the embodiment, the 3D color fluorescence endoscope imaging component adopts a unique and innovative method to solve the problem that the infrared image signal and the white light image signal generated on the same sensor are fused into a color image, and the possible confusion and mutual interference of the infrared illumination and the white light illumination during imaging are reduced. Compared with the prior art, the system not only reduces the complexity of image processing, but also provides clearer and more accurate imaging results.

The invention directly converts infrared light with specific wavelength into green light by using the coated light conversion filter coated with special rare earth material, thereby eliminating the problem during imaging. Under the condition of endoscopic surgery or minimally invasive surgery, no green tissue phenomenon exists in a human body in a 2D or 3D operation field, an infrared light imaging area is usually excited to be green based on ICG staining materials and used for distinguishing or identifying a tissue area with high ICG metabolism, interference with imaging (possibly comprising red and other colors) generated by white light illumination is avoided, and image contrast and dynamic range are enhanced. The natural distinction enables images generated by two light sources to be clearly and naturally overlapped together, the image overlapping process is usually realized by a beam splitting prism and 2 image sensors, the beam splitting prism divides light signals into a visible light and a near infrared light, then a visible light sensor and an infrared image sensor are used for generating 2 digital images, and a complex image processing algorithm is needed to be relied on for fusing a visible light color image and an infrared black-and-white image into a color fluorescent image for an operator to observe and judge. In addition, since the filter film can convert infrared light with a specific wavelength into green light, any tissue (such as tumor tissue) with high reflection of infrared light can be displayed in striking green, thereby improving the contrast and the recognizability of the image.

Second, rotating one of the image sensors (red rectangle) causes both image sensor chips to deflect inward when the optical center (green rectangle) is centered, eliminating the wasted distance between the original left image sensor and the base (green). Through the improvement, the width of the lens base is reduced from 8.8mm to 8.54mm, and the diameter of the module is reduced from 9.4mm to 9.14mm.

Thirdly, after improvement, the design length of the leading-out part of the endoscope imaging assembly is shortened from 20.75mm to 8.41mm, and the total length of the endoscope imaging assembly after final assembly is shortened from 26.88mm to 15.03mm (including a lens part of 7 mm), and fig. 4 and 5 respectively show schematic diagrams of connectors of the prior art and the embodiments of the application, and as can be seen from the diagrams, the total length of the connector of the embodiments of the application after bending is significantly reduced.

In summary, the 3D color fluorescent endoscope imaging assembly of the present embodiment directly converts infrared light into green light by using the light conversion filter with a special coating, which effectively solves the problem of interference between infrared illumination and white light illumination in the conventional imaging system, and provides clearer and more accurate imaging results. The technology avoids the need for a dichroic prism and a dual sensor system by simplifying the light path design, reduces the complexity of image processing, and simultaneously maintains image stability and accuracy when the endoscope is rapidly moved. In addition, the size of the assembly and the length of the extraction part are obviously reduced, so that the whole endoscope system is more compact, the control flexibility is improved, and the operation accuracy and safety in minimally invasive surgery are improved.

It should be noted that in the present patent application, relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising" does not exclude the presence of other like elements in a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. In the present patent application, if it is mentioned that an action is performed according to an element, it means that the action is performed at least according to the element, and two cases are included: the act is performed solely on the basis of the element and is performed on the basis of the element and other elements. Multiple, etc. expressions include 2, 2 times, 2, and 2 or more, 2 or more times, 2 or more.

All documents mentioned in the present application are considered to be included in the disclosure of the present application in their entirety, so that they may be subject to modification if necessary. Further, it will be understood that various changes or modifications may be made to the present application by those skilled in the art after reading the foregoing disclosure of the present application, and such equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the present application as claimed.

Claims (8)

1. A 3D color fluorescence endoscopic imaging assembly, comprising:

an operation lever including an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light;

an infrared light source for providing infrared illumination light of a predetermined wavelength;

a white light source for providing white light illumination;

at least one image sensor positioned at the end of the operating rod and used for receiving the light reflected by the infrared light source and the white light source and fusing the infrared light imaging and the white light imaging into a 3D color fluorescent image;

and a light conversion filter disposed in an optical path of the image sensor, one side of the light conversion filter including a coating layer for converting near infrared light into green light, and the other side of the light conversion filter including a band pass filter coating layer that is transparent to visible light and infrared light.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly comprises two image sensors that form a binocular stereoscopic system, and wherein one image sensor is rotated about 180 degrees relative to the other image sensor such that the photosensitive area center points of the two image sensors coincide.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the assembly further comprises: two very thin coaxial connectors, each of which has a maximum outer diameter of less than 8mm, respectively, for extracting image signals from both sides of the image sensor.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the two coaxial connectors are disposed in parallel on the upper and lower sides of the image sensor.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lever has a transparent protective layer at an end thereof, and the light conversion filter is disposed inside the transparent protective layer.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the infrared light source and the white light source provide illumination to the surgical field through optical fibers in the joystick, and wherein the optical fibers are configured to direct light from the light source to the surgical field.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the infrared light source has a wavelength of 785±5nm.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein one side of the light conversion filter comprises a coating for converting near infrared light of wavelengths from 810nm to 1000nm to green light at a peak of 540nm, and the other side of the light conversion filter comprises a bandpass filter coating that is transparent to 400 nm to 650nm visible light and 810nm to 1000nm infrared light.