JP2003265409A - Endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem wherein in observing a bronchus having a plurality of bifurcations and bifucation directions with an endoscope, it takes much time to perform observation because the observation diagnosis is performed while storing the information on the position of bronchus bifurcation, the number of bifurcations, an observed duct, and the position of the diseased bronchus bifurcation with reference to the bronchus model and a bronchus image taken with the endoscope. <P>SOLUTION: In this endoscope apparatus, an image pickup signal picked by an imaging means is processed by a binarization processing circuit 32 to obtain a binarized image signal. According to the binarized image signal, a branch path and the number of bifucations are discrimation-labelled, and according to the result of the discrimination labelling, the branch sequence information is related to the branch number information discriminated by matching the binary image signal to be branch information processed and displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic electronic device provided with a navigation system for improving the efficiency of endoscopy in an organ (eg, bronchi) having a complicated branching duct. The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus. [0002] Electronic endoscope devices are widely used in the medical and industrial fields. This electronic endoscope apparatus requires a means capable of capturing a high-resolution and high-quality electronic image for a fine and complicated observation site. In a general electronic endoscope apparatus, a solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD or a CMOS is provided at the end of the endoscope, and the solid-state image pickup device generates an electronic image signal of an observation site. . The electronic image signal generated by the solid-state imaging device is subjected to various kinds of signal processing by a camera control unit (hereinafter, referred to as a CCU) provided outside the endoscope to display an image on a monitor or to record the image signal data. It is recorded on a medium. In such an electronic endoscope apparatus, in the medical field, an image displayed on a monitor is displayed on the basis of an electronic image signal in a body cavity which is imaged and generated by a solid-state image sensor provided at the end of the endoscope. While watching, the surgeon inserts into the body cavity,
Observation diagnosis of the observation site is performed from the image. [0005] In a conventional electronic endoscope apparatus in the medical field, particularly in the case of endoscopic diagnosis of the bronchi, the position at which the bronchial duct branches, and the branch at the branch position. It was necessary to confirm the number, direction of branching, etc., and proceed with endoscopic diagnosis while checking it against the bronchial model. [0006] When observing a bronchus having a plurality of branches and a plurality of branches in an endoscope, the position of the bronchial branch and the number of branches are determined by referring to the bronchial model and the bronchial image captured by the endoscope. In order to proceed with the observational examination while storing the bronchus bifurcation information such as the observed ducts and the position of the duct having the affected part, the observation examinations take a long time, and the burden on the operator and the subject is large. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem. In particular, in bronchial endoscopic diagnosis, a bronchial model is created based on data on bronchial bifurcations observed at the time of endoscopic diagnosis, and It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus that displays a bronchial model, an electronic image captured by an electronic endoscope, and a monitor screen to improve the examination efficiency of an endoscopic examiner. [0008] An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
In an endoscope apparatus having an image pickup means capable of picking up an image of a pipe having a branch, a binarization processing means for performing a binarization process on an image signal picked up by the image pickup means, and a processing carried out by the binarization processing means Determining means for determining the branch path and the number of branches based on the binarized image signal obtained; storage means capable of storing the binary image signal based on the determination result of the determining means; Branch information processing means for matching the temporarily stored binary image signal with the binary image signal from the binary processing means and associating branch order information with the branch number information determined by the determination means; , Are provided. The electronic endoscope apparatus of the present invention extracts bronchial bifurcation information such as a position at which a bronchial branch is found, the number of branches, and the number of times a branch is found from a captured electronic endoscope image and converts it into electronic data. Then, a bronchial bifurcation model is created based on this data. This bronchial bifurcation model is displayed on the monitor together with the electronic image of the endoscope, and the endoscopist inserts the endoscope while checking the endoscopic image and the bifurcation model, thereby improving the examination efficiency. be able to. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operation of an embodiment of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a navigation circuit used in the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the entire configuration of such an endoscope apparatus, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining a binarization process of an observation region image of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a labeling process of an observation part of FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a bronchial branch model of the endoscope device according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is displayed on a monitor of the endoscope device according to the present invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining an observation image and a bronchus bifurcation model. First, the overall configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. An endoscope 10 that is inserted into a body cavity to electronically image an observation site, and a camera control unit (CCU) 1 that generates and outputs a video signal from an imaging signal from the endoscope 10 by a signal processing circuit or the like.
1, a light source device 12 for generating and outputting illumination light for illuminating a dark observation site, and a monitor 13 for displaying an image based on a video signal from the CCU 11. The endoscope 10 is provided with an operating portion 14 also serving as a grip portion to be gripped by an operator, and an elongated insertion portion 15 extending from the distal end side of the operating portion 14. The system includes an objective lens 16 that converts an observation region into an optical image and a solid-state imaging device 17 that electronically captures an optical image. The operation unit 14 and the insertion unit 15 include:
A light guide fiber 19 is arranged. The proximal end of the light guide cable 18 is connected to the light guide fiber 19, and the other end of the light guide cable 18 is connected to the light source device 12. That is, the illumination light from the light source device 12 is supplied to the light guide cable 18 and the light guide fiber 19.
Is projected onto the observation site via the. In addition, the solid-state imaging device 17 includes the light guide cable 1
8 through the signal cable attached to the CCU 11
, And supplies an imaged electronic image signal to the CCU 11. The configuration of the CCU 11 will be described with reference to FIG. A drive circuit 20 for driving and controlling the solid-state imaging device 17, and amplifying the analog electronic imaging signal photoelectrically generated by the solid-state imaging device 17 to a predetermined signal size based on the drive control of the drive circuit 20. Amplifier circuit 21
A CDS / A / D conversion circuit 22 for sampling the amplified analog electronic image signal and converting it into a digital signal; and a luminance / color difference signal separation for separating the digitized electronic image signal into a luminance signal and a color difference signal. A circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24 for correcting and adjusting image quality, color tone, and the like from the separated luminance signal and color difference signal;
4 is converted into an analog video signal and output to the monitor 13 using a D / A conversion circuit 25 and a luminance signal from the luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 23. Navigation circuit 26 for generating navigation information when operating insertion section 15 of 10
And a superimposing circuit 27 that superimposes the navigation information generated by the navigation circuit 26 on the digital electronic image pickup signal and displays the image information on the monitor 13 and the navigation information. That is, the analog electronic image pickup signal picked up by the solid-state image pickup device 17 is converted into a digital electronic image pickup signal by the CDS / A / D conversion circuit 22 and then subjected to signal processing for each luminance and color difference. Is converted into an analog video signal by the D / A conversion circuit 25 and displayed on the monitor 13. That is, the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into a body cavity, and an image of an observation region captured by the solid-state imaging device 17 at the distal end of the insertion section 15 is displayed on the monitor 13. The configuration of the navigation circuit 26 for generating navigation information to be superimposed on the image of the observation site displayed on the monitor 13 will be described with reference to FIG. A first frame memory 31 for storing the luminance signal data for one frame separated by the luminance / color difference signal separating circuit 23, and a luminance signal for one frame stored in the first frame memory 31 A binarization processing circuit 32 for binarizing data, a second frame memory 33 for storing the luminance signal data binarized by the binarization processing circuit 32, and a second frame memory 33 A processor circuit (CPU + Mem) having a labeling process 34 and a matching process 35 from the luminance signal data from
ory) 38 and various data processed and generated by the processor circuit 38 as the navigation information.
3 and a character generator 37 for display on the display 3. The first frame memory 31 has
The luminance signal data separated from the luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 23 is written and stored as needed. When a freeze operation is performed, the writing and storage of the luminance signal after the freeze operation is stopped. ing. The navigation circuit 26 having such a configuration is described.
Will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. Note that an example in which the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the bronchus, the individual imaging element 17 at the distal end of the insertion section 15 is driven and controlled, and a captured bronchi image is displayed on the monitor 13 to observe the bronchus is used. Will be explained. As described above, the bronchus has a plurality of branches and branch directions. The insertion section 15 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the bronchus, and bronchial endoscope observation is performed while observing the observation site image displayed on the monitor 13 based on the video signal imaged and generated by the individual imaging element 17. At the time when the first bronchial branch image is displayed on the monitor 13, that is, a position where the bronchial branch can be clearly recognized on the monitor 13 (the number of bronchial branches can be clearly recognized, and the channel opening of the bronchial bifurcation can be recognized. Is clearly visible, and the objective lens 1 at the end of the endoscope
The endoscope 10 is fixed and the freeze operation is performed in a state where the image is captured so that the conduit 6 and the conduit opening face each other as much as possible. By this freeze operation, an image is generated and generated by the solid-state image sensor 17 so far, and the luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 2
The luminance signal separated in 3 is stored as needed in the first frame memory 31 in the navigation circuit 26 as moving image data (luminance signal), and the moving image is stored in the first frame memory 31 by the freeze operation. The data writing of the data is temporarily suspended, and the still image data of the first bronchial branch at the time of the freeze operation is stored. In order to extract the number of branches at the first bronchial bifurcation position from the still image data of the first bronchial bifurcation stored in the first frame memory 31, the number is stored in the first frame memory 31. The binarization processing circuit 32 performs binarization processing on the obtained still image data. This 2
The binarization process binarizes a still image of a bronchial branch into a bronchial duct part and a part that is not a bronchial duct as shown in FIG. 4, and converts the image data into image data that can easily discriminate the duct part. It is stored in the second frame memory 33. In the binarized image data stored in the second frame memory 33, FIG. 5 shows a region where the image showing the pipeline portion is connected, that is, a region where the pixels are connected. As described above, labeling is performed by the labeling processing circuit 34. That is, the number of bronchial branches can be calculated from the binarized image data. The binarized image data and labeling data are stored and stored in the data storage memory 36 as branch image data first found by bronchial endoscope observation. The number of bronchial branches and the binarized image that are finally extracted are as follows:
This is the data at the first branch position. When the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is further inserted into one of the ducts from the first bronchial branch and a new bronchial branch appears, the above-described processing is repeated again. After that, when the insertion of the endoscope is repeated and a new bronchial branch is found, or when the endoscope is moved out of the endoscope and the previously found bronchial branch is found again, the same processing as before is performed. repeat. The detailed operation of bronchial observation by the endoscope 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Endoscope 1 for bronchi
It is assumed that bronchus bifurcations a, b, c, d, and e are found as shown in FIG. 6A when observation is performed by moving the insertion portion 15 of No. 0 in the insertion or extraction direction. As shown in FIG. 6B, the order of the insertion operation of the endoscope 10 at this time is such that the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the bronchus, and a branch a is first found. It is branched into two conduits. When the insertion portion 15 is inserted into the conduit on the left side of the branch a in the drawing, the branch b is found, and the branch b is branched into two conduits. The insertion portion 15 is inserted into the right conduit of the branch b in the drawing.
Is inserted, a branch c is found, and this branch c is branched into two conduits. When the insertion portion 15 is inserted into the conduit on the left side of the branch c in the drawing, it is inserted into the conduit h. When the insertion portion 15 is extracted from the conduit h, the branch c and b are sequentially rediscovered. When the insertion portion 15 is reinserted into the conduit on the left side of the branch b in the drawing, the branch d is found, and the branch d is branched into three conduits. Thereafter, the insertion operation is repeated in the order of e, f, i, and g in the figure. In this manner, the branch a first detected by the insertion operation of the endoscope 10 and the branches b to e subsequently detected
From the binarized image data, the detection of the branch path position, the number of branch pipes at the branch position, and the first or already detected 2
Performs image matching processing with the digitized image data. If they match, it is determined to be the same branch as the already detected branch, and the same identification code is set.If they do not match, it is determined as a newly detected bronchial branch. After identification, a new identification code is set. This identification code will be described with reference to FIG. Two ducts are detected from the binarized image data of the bronchial branch a detected first. An identification code including three elements of the detected order of the detected bronchial branch, the number of branches of the bronchial branch, and the number of times of detection is set. That is, the identification code of the branch a is the detection order 1, and
(1, 2, 1) is set, which is composed of 2 branch pipe lines and 1 indicating the first detection. Next, bronchial branch b
Is compared with the binarized image data of the branch a, and when it is determined that the binarized image data is different from the branch a, the binarized image data is secondly detected as a bronchial branch,
Further, it is detected that the branch is made into two pipelines, and the identification code (2, 2, 1), which is the first detection, is set. When returning to the branch b again, the branch identification code (2, 2, 2) indicating the second detection is obtained at that time. Next, the binarized image data of the branch c and the binarized image data of the branches a and b are compared, and a new branch c
And the identification code (3, 2, 1) is set. After setting the identification code of the branch c, after the insertion operation into the pipeline h, the branch c is extracted and detected again, and the final identification code (3, 2, 2) of the re-detected branch c is detected.
2) is set. Further, when extracted from the branch c, the branch b
Is detected, and since the detection of the branch b is the second time, the identification code (2, 2, 2) of the branch b is set. The branch d is inserted from the branch b in the direction of the branch d, the branch d is detected, and the binarized image data of the branch d is compared with the binarized image data of the already detected branches a to c. An identification code (4, 3, 1) indicating a newly detected branch d is set. The branch e is inserted in the direction from the branch d to the branch e.
Is detected, the binarized image data of the branch e is compared with the binarized image data of the already detected branches a to d, and the identification code (5) indicating the fifth newly detected branch e is detected. , 2,1) are set. When the branch e is inserted in the pipes f and i, respectively, and returns to the branch e, the identification code (5,
2, 3) are set. When the branch e returns to the branch d again, the identification code (4, 3, 2) of the branch d is obtained, and it becomes clear that the insertion portion 15 is located at the observation position of the branch d. That is, labeling of the binarized image data is performed for each bronchial branch, and the labeled binarized image data is numbered in order (number). The bronchial bifurcation detected is identified, and the bronchial bifurcation number detected before that is referred to. It should be noted that, depending on the imaging conditions of the endoscope, for example, there are cases where the two channel openings of the bronchial branch are imaged in a vertically arranged form, or in which the images are imaged in a horizontally arranged form. There is also. Also, the size of the conduit opening is large or small. In the image matching process, a binary image of another bronchial branch already stored in the memory is rotated and scaled with respect to the image in the frame memory so that the matching process can be performed under any imaging conditions. It is necessary to match. As shown in FIG. 6C, a bronchial bifurcation model can be created by managing the number of times the same branch is found in the order in which the branches were found, the number of branches, and the edge images of the branches. it can. Based on the bronchial branch model data, a branch model image is displayed on the monitor 13 via the character generator 37. As shown in FIG. 7, the branch model displayed on the monitor 13 is an identification code (I
D), name (Name), age (AGE), date (DA
TE) and the like, and an image of the currently observed bronchial region which has been subjected to the image signal processing by the image signal processing circuit 24. As described above, the monitor 13
While the currently observed endoscopic image is displayed,
By displaying the bronchial branch model that has already been observed and the branching position that is currently being observed, it is easy to distinguish between the observation end site and the site to be observed in the future. Mirror devices can now be provided. [Appendix] According to the embodiment of the present invention described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained. (Supplementary Note 1) In an endoscope apparatus having an image pickup means capable of picking up an image of a pipeline having a branch path, a binarization processing means for binarizing an image pickup signal picked up by the image pickup means; Determining means for determining the branch path and the number of branches based on the binary image signal processed by the binary processing means;
A first storage unit capable of storing the binary image signal based on a result of the determination by the determination unit; and a binary image signal temporarily stored in the first storage unit and the binary processing unit. And a branch information processing unit for matching branch number information determined by the determination unit by matching with the binarized image signal. (Supplementary Note 2) Imaging means for imaging a subject image in a subject branched into a plurality of pipelines and outputting an imaging signal, and performing signal processing on the imaging signal output from the preceding imaging means. Signal processing means for generating an image signal by means of an image signal; a binarization processing circuit for outputting a binary image to the image signal generated by the signal processing means;
Labeling processing means for recognizing the number of pipelines branched according to the binarized image output by the binarization processing circuit; storage means for storing the number of branched pipelines recognized by the labeling processing means; Image matching means for extracting the number of times a branch is found according to the order in which the branches are found in accordance with the binary image output by the binary processing circuit; and an order in which the branches recognized in the image matching processing are found Storage means for storing the number of times the same branch was found, and the number of branches of the pipeline stored in the storage means, the order in which the branches were found, and the number of times the same branch was found. A model generating means for generating a branch model of a plurality of pipelines, and image output means for outputting the branch model generated by the model generating means and displaying it on a display means. Endoscopic imaging device. (Supplementary Note 3) In an endoscope apparatus having an image pickup means capable of picking up an image of a pipeline having a branch path, a binarization processing means for binarizing an image pickup signal picked up by the image pickup means, Branch path discriminating means for discriminating a branch path in the pipeline based on the image signal subjected to binarization processing by the binarization processing means and the number of branches of the discriminated branch path; Storage means for storing a binarized image signal of the branch road determined by the road determination means, a detection order of the binary image signal, and branch path information data comprising the number of branches; The branch road information data is compared with the branch road information data determined at any time by the branch road determination unit, and the branch road information data determined by the branch road determination unit is already stored in the storage unit. If it is the same as the branch information data Branching information adding means for generating and adding branching path information data related to existing branching path information data, and displaying on the monitor the branching path identification information added by the branching path information adding means. An endoscope apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, since the order in which the endoscope is inserted and the bronchial bifurcation is detected is displayed on the screen, whether the bifurcation is a newly detected bifurcation or It is possible to judge whether the branch was detected before, and also displays the number of times the branch was detected and the branch position currently observed by the endoscope, so that bronchial observation operation with the endoscope It becomes the insertion navigation information at the time, and has an effect that the operation of endoscopic observation diagnosis can be executed smoothly and efficiently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation circuit used in the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the entire configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a binarization process of an observation region image of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating labeling processing of an observation site of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a branch model of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an observation image and a bronchial bifurcation model displayed on a monitor of the endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. [Description of Signs] 17 ... Individual imaging device 20 ... Drive control circuit 21 ... Amplification circuit 22 ... CDS / A / D conversion circuit 23 ... Brightness / color difference signal separation circuit 24 ... Video signal processing circuit 25 ... D / A conversion circuit 26 ... Navigation circuit 31 First frame memory 32 Binarization processing circuit 33 Second frame memory 34 Labeling processing unit 35 Matching processing unit 36 Data storage memory 37 Character generator

[Procedure amendment] [Submission date] May 8, 2002 (2002.5.8) [Procedure amendment 1] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0006 [Amendment method] Change [Amendment] When the bronchus having a plurality of branches and a plurality of branch directions are endoscopically observed, the position of the bronchus is determined by referring to the bronchi model and the bronchi image captured by the endoscope. It takes a long time to perform the observational examination while storing the bronchial bifurcation information such as the number of branches, the observed ducts, and the position of the duct having the diseased part, and the burden on the operator and the subject is large. Was. [Procedure amendment 2] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0015 [Correction method] Change [Contents of amendment] The configuration of the CCU 11 will be described with reference to FIG. A drive circuit 20 for driving and controlling the solid-state imaging device 17, under the drive control of the drive circuit 20 amplifies the analog electronic imaging signal photoelectric conversion generated by the solid-state imaging device 17 to the magnitude of the predetermined signal Amplifier circuit 21
A CDS / A / D conversion circuit 22 for sampling the amplified analog electronic image signal and converting it into a digital signal; and a luminance / color difference signal separation for separating the digitized electronic image signal into a luminance signal and a color difference signal. A circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24 for correcting and adjusting image quality, color tone, and the like from the separated luminance signal and color difference signal;
4 is converted into an analog video signal and output to the monitor 13 using a D / A conversion circuit 25 and a luminance signal from the luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 23. Navigation circuit 26 for generating navigation information when operating insertion section 15 of 10
And a superimposing circuit 27 that superimposes the navigation information generated by the navigation circuit 26 on the digital electronic image pickup signal and displays the image information on the monitor 13 and the navigation information. [Procedure amendment 3] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0016 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] In other words, the analog electronic image signal picked up by the solid-state image sensor 17 is a CDS · A After being converted to a digital electronic image signal by the / D conversion circuit 22, the video signal subjected to signal processing for each luminance and color difference is converted to an analog video signal by the D / A conversion circuit 25 and displayed on the monitor 13. Is done. That is, the insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the body cavity, and an image of the observation site captured by the solid-state imaging device 17 at the distal end of the insertion section 15 is displayed on the monitor 13. [Procedure amendment 4] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0019 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] [0019] The first frame memory 31
The luminance signal data separated from the luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 23 is written and stored as needed. When a freeze operation is performed, the writing and storage of the luminance signal after the freeze operation is stopped. It has become. [Procedure amendment 5] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0020 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] Navigation circuit 26 having such a configuration
Will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. Note that an example in which the insertion portion 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the bronchus, the solid-state imaging device 17 at the distal end of the insertion portion 15 is driven and controlled, and a captured bronchi image is displayed on the monitor 13 to observe the bronchus is used. Will be explained. [Procedure amendment 6] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0021 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] As described above, the bronchus has a plurality of branches and branch directions. . The insertion section 15 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the bronchus, and bronchial endoscope observation is performed while observing the observation site image displayed on the monitor 13 based on the video signal imaged and generated by the solid-state imaging device 17. At the time when the first bronchial branch image is displayed on the monitor 13, that is, a position where the bronchial branch can be clearly recognized on the monitor 13 (the number of bronchial branches can be clearly recognized, and the channel opening of the bronchial bifurcation can be recognized. The endoscope 10 is fixed and a freeze operation is performed in a state in which the image is clearly seen and the objective lens 16 at the end of the endoscope and the channel opening face each other as close as possible. [Procedure amendment 7] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0022 [Correction method] Change [Contents of amendment] By the freeze operation, the solid-state imaging device 17 until then has taken an image. Generated luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 2
The luminance signal separated in 3 is stored as needed in the first frame memory 31 in the navigation circuit 26 as moving image data (luminance signal), and the moving image is stored in the first frame memory 31 by the freeze operation. The data writing of the data is temporarily suspended, and the still image data of the first bronchial branch at the time of the freeze operation is stored. [Procedure amendment 8] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] 0026 [Correction method] Change [Contents of amendment] Inserting the endoscope 10 into one of the ducts from this first bronchial branch When the part 15 is further inserted and a new bronchial branch appears, the above-described processing is repeated again. After that, when the insertion of the endoscope is repeated and a new bronchial branch is found, or when the endoscope is moved in the extracting direction and the previously found bronchial branch is found again, the same processing as before is performed. repeat. [Procedure amendment 9] [Document name to be amended] Description [Item name to be amended] Explanation of sign [Correction method] Change [Details of amendment] [Explanation of sign] 17 ... Solid-state imaging device 20 ... Drive control circuit 21 ... Amplification circuit Reference numeral 22 CDS / A / D conversion circuit 23 Luminance / color difference signal separation circuit 24 Video signal processing circuit 25 D / A conversion circuit 26 Navigation circuit 31 First frame memory 32 Binarization processing circuit 33 2 frame memory 34 labeling processing unit 35 matching processing unit 36 data storage memory 37 character generator

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 MF term (Reference) 2H040 BA00 CA04 CA11 CA23 DA21 DA54 GA02 GA10 GA11 4C061 AA07 AA29 CC06 DD03 JJ20 LL02 NN01 NN05 SS11 SS21 WW01 WW10 WW18 5B057 AA07 BA02 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB02 CB06 CB12 CB16 CC01 CE12 CE18 DB02 DB05 DB08 DC14 DC32 DC36 5C054 CC07 ED07 FC05 GB15 HA12

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An endoscope apparatus having an image pickup means capable of picking up an image of a pipeline having a branch path, wherein the image pickup signal picked up by the image pickup means is binarized.
Binarization processing means; discrimination means for discriminating the branch path and the number of branches based on the binarized image signal processed by the binarization processing means; and binarization based on the discrimination result of the discrimination means. A storage unit capable of storing an image signal; a binarized image signal temporarily stored in the storage unit;
A branch information processing unit that matches a binary image signal from a binarization processing unit and associates branch order information with the branch number information determined by the determination unit. apparatus.