JP2004275569A - Sensor device for fluorescent label - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact sensor device for a fluorescent label simplifying the operation, facilitating fine operation for use in a case of requiring fine action such as excision of the tumor, and improving operation precision and operation efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: This sensor device for the fluorescent label for visually observing a specimen by the fluorescent label is characterized in integrating a probe body having a lighting port of an excitation light in the specimen with a filter, which is attached to the probe body and allows the transmission of a specific fluorescent wave length emitted from the specimen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fluorescent label sensor device for observing a specimen of a biological tissue in the fields of medicine, biology, and the like, and more particularly to a device for identifying and visually identifying a tissue by a fluorescent label.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, in malignant gliomas and the like, the appearance of the tumor is often similar to the surrounding tissue, so that the gross tumor boundary is not always clear. For this reason, attempts to visualize brain tumors with fluorescent labels have been made for a long time, and in recent years, a technique for resecting tumors while distinguishing them from surrounding tissues using a surgical microscope has been established with the development of fluorescent microscopes.
[0003]
In general, in this type of microscope, a fluorescent filter is installed between the objective lens or the eyepiece and the objective lens, and the target site labeled with fluorescence is separately irradiated from outside the microscope. The target site can be clearly identified with the naked eye by passing the specific wavelength emitted from the site through the fluorescent filter.
Prior art documents related to the present invention, "Kuroiwa T, Kajimoto Y, Ohta T:.. Development of a fluorescein operative microscope for use during malignant glioma surgery - a technical note and preliminary report Surg Neurol 50: 41- 49, 1998 ", JP-A-11-142335, JP-A-9-29572, JP-A-2000-227556, and the like.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional surgical fluorescence microscope, it is troublesome to attach and detach the fluorescent filter during the operation, and it is necessary to prepare an excitation light source separately. There are many aspects that are not suitable for the required scene, and there has been a demand for a compact and inexpensive apparatus that is easy to use.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a fluorescent labeling sensor device for visually observing a sample with a fluorescent label, a probe main body having an excitation light irradiation port in the sample, and a specific fluorescence emitted from the sample attached to the probe main body. It is intended to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems by swimming with a filter that transmits wavelengths.
[0006]
The fluorescent label sensor device may be configured such that the angle of the filter with respect to the probe body can be freely set.
[0007]
In any of the fluorescent label sensor devices described above, the probe main body may be configured to freely set the irradiation direction of the excitation light while maintaining the positional relationship with the filter.
[0008]
Furthermore, in any of the above-described fluorescent labeling sensor devices, the excitation light may use an optical fiber connecting the irradiation port of the probe body and the excitation light source as a transmission path.
[0009]
In addition, any one of the above-described fluorescent labeling sensor devices may be configured to include an excitation light source provided at the irradiation port of the probe body and a light source power source provided in the probe body.
[0010]
Furthermore, in the above-described fluorescent labeling sensor device, a shutter mechanism for opening / closing excitation light may be provided between the tip of the optical fiber penetrating the probe body and the irradiation port.
[0011]
In any of the fluorescent label sensor devices described above, the filter may be detachable from the probe body.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a fluorescent label sensor device according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical probe body, in which a through passage 2 is formed along the central axis, and the tip of the through passage 2 is irradiated for irradiating excitation light to a fluorescently labeled sample. Mouth 3
Reference numeral 4 denotes a fluorescent filter, which is fitted into a holding frame 5 that is fixed to the tip of the probe body 1 at a predetermined angle. Reference numeral 6 denotes an optical fiber that is inserted into the through-passage 2 and has a distal end facing the irradiation port 3, and constitutes an optical transmission path that connects the irradiation port 3 and an excitation light source outside the apparatus.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the fluorescent label sensor device according to FIG.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a tumor portion that is fluorescently labeled as an observation target, and is marked by a well-known technique using a predetermined fluorescent labeling reagent. In addition, the fluorescent filter 4 allows only a specific fluorescent wavelength emitted from the tumor part 7 by irradiation with excitation light, and a filter corresponding to the fluorescent reagent is used. As the excitation light source, a laser diode, LED, lamp, or the like is used, and the tumor portion 7 is irradiated through the optical fiber 6. The fluorescence emitted to the sample accumulated in the tumor portion 7 by the irradiation of the excitation light passes through the fluorescent filter 4 to the naked eye 8 as an arrow, and the tumor is visually identified. The tumor 7 is observed by holding the probe main body 1 and directing the irradiation port 3 to a necessary place, whereby the tumor and the surrounding normal tissue can be clearly and easily visually identified.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the sensor device for fluorescent labeling. In this embodiment, the holding frame 5 in which the fluorescent filter 4 is fitted is attached under a configuration in which the angle with respect to the probe main body 1 can be freely set as indicated by the arrow in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the use in the tumor 7 of the recess is facilitated.
[0015]
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing a third embodiment of the sensor device for fluorescent labeling. In the fluorescent label sensor device according to this embodiment, the probe main body 1 is configured to freely set the irradiation direction of the excitation light while maintaining the positional relationship with the fluorescent filter 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the angle formed by the central axis of the filter 4 of the fluorescent label sensor device and the excitation light irradiation axis is θ, the irradiation direction is the direction shown in FIG. Even when converted to, the crossing angle between the central axis A of the fluorescent filter 4 and the irradiation direction axis B of the excitation light is maintained at θ. As a specific configuration for obtaining such an effect, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the probe body 1 can be formed of a wire-filled rubber material, bent to a desired angle, and maintained at that angle. On the other hand, the end of the optical fiber 6 is fixed to the holding frame 5 so that the crossing angle between the central axis A of the fluorescent filter 4 and the excitation light irradiation direction axis B is θ, and this positional relationship is always maintained. However, the probe main body 1 can be freely bent to facilitate visual identification of the observation target.
[0016]
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the sensor device for fluorescent labeling. In the fluorescent label sensor device according to this embodiment, the probe main body 1 includes an excitation light source and a power source thereof. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the excitation light source 8 is installed in the irradiation port 3 of the probe main body 1, and the battery 9 as a power source is housed in the power supply chamber 10 in the probe main body 1. As the excitation light source 8, an LED, a laser diode, a lamp, or the like is used. As described above, since the excitation light source and the power supply are all housed in the probe main body 1 and the excitation light output system is completed by the probe main body 1, the operability is improved and maintenance management is easy.
[0017]
FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the sensor device for fluorescent labeling. In the fluorescent labeling sensor device according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, the through-passage 2 of the probe body 1 is provided with a shutter mechanism 11 so that the through-passage 2 is opened and closed, thereby exciting the sensor. Light irradiation can be turned on and off.
That is, as shown in FIG. 6B, the shutter mechanism 11 includes an operating piece 11a made of a spring or other elastic material, and a shutter plate 11b that reciprocates across the through-passage 2 by the operation of the operating piece 11a. It is composed of The shutter plate 11 b is formed with a window portion 12. When the window portion 12 is at a position facing the optical axis 13 of the excitation light output from the end of the optical fiber 6, the excitation light is transmitted from the probe main body 1. The light is emitted from the irradiation port 3.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 6A, the shutter mechanism 11 is always in a state of blocking the excitation light from the optical fiber 6. That is, since the shutter plate 11b is in a pressure-relieved state of the operating piece 11a and the window 12 is outside the optical path of the excitation light 13 as shown in FIG. 6B, the excitation light output from the optical fiber 6 is used. 13 is blocked by the shutter plate 11b. When the operating piece 11a is pressed, the shutter plate 11b is lowered as shown in FIG. 6C, and the window 12 is positioned in the optical path of the excitation light 13, and the excitation light 13 passes through the shutter mechanism 11. To do.
When the pressing of the operating piece 11a is released, the shutter plate 11b moves backward and returns to the position shown in FIG. 6B, and the excitation light 13 is blocked again. The shutter mechanism 11 can be used to irradiate and stop excitation light in a flexible manner, and is particularly useful for excitation light irradiation control when light is guided from an external light source by an optical fiber.
[0019]
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of the sensor device for fluorescent labeling. In this embodiment, the holding frame 5 holding the fluorescent filter 4 is detachably attached to the probe body 1. It has been.
FIG. 7A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a related configuration of the probe main body 1 and the holding frame 5 holding the fluorescent filter 4, and FIG. 7B is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.
In the figure, 14 is a filter holder formed integrally with the holding frame 5, and this filter holder 14 has a C-ring shape as shown in FIG. 7B and is always fixed to the probe body 1. Yes. Then, in order to separate the fluorescent filter 4 (holding frame 5) and the probe main body 1, the filter holder 14 is moved to the right in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Release and then remove from the probe body 1 by pushing open both ends of the C-ring notch. The fluorescent filter 4 (holding frame 5) is attached to the probe main body 1 in the reverse procedure.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the trend marker sensor device according to the present invention is compact and easy to operate, so that it becomes easy to perform delicate operations when using scenes that require elaborate work, such as excision of a tumor. In addition to improving work efficiency, the manufacturing cost is low.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the fluorescent label sensor device according to FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fluorescent label sensor device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1. . . . . . . . . . 1. Probe body . . . . . . . . Through passage 3. . . . . . . . . 3. Irradiation port . . . . . . . . 4. Fluorescent filter . . . . . . . Holding frame 6. . . . . . . . . Optical fiber 11. . . . . . . . . Shutter mechanism

Claims (7)

A fluorescent labeling sensor device for visually observing a sample by a fluorescent label, wherein a probe body having an excitation light irradiation port on the sample, and a specific fluorescence wavelength emitted from the sample attached to the probe body A fluorescent labeling sensor device comprising a filter for transmitting light. 2. The fluorescent label sensor device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of the filter with respect to the probe main body can be freely set. 3. The fluorescent labeling sensor device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the probe body can freely set the irradiation direction of the excitation light while maintaining the positional relationship with the filter. apparatus. 4. The fluorescent label sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the excitation light uses an optical fiber connecting the irradiation port of the probe main body and the excitation light source as a transmission path. 4. The fluorescent labeling sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising an excitation light source provided at an irradiation port of the probe main body and a light source power source provided in the probe main body. Sensor device. 5. The fluorescent labeling sensor device according to claim 4, wherein a shutter mechanism for opening / closing excitation light is provided between the tip of the optical fiber penetrating the probe main body and the irradiation port. Sensor device for signs. 7. The fluorescent label sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the filter is detachable from the probe body.

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