JP2010069063A - Method and apparatus for capturing image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid emphasis of an interfering substance on an image when the interfering substance e.g. bilirubin which differs from a substance to be emphasized e.g. hemoglobin is present on the image. <P>SOLUTION: Image signals are obtained by alternately emitting a white light L1, a narrow-band light L2 with a center wavelength of 415 nm and a narrow-band light L3 with a center wavelength of 540 nm. In an estimated spectroscopic data-calculating section 35, estimated spectroscopic data values (q11) and (q61) at 450 nm and 700 nm are calculated using RGB image signals by the white light L1 and estimated spectroscopic matrix data at 450 nm and 700 nm stored in a memory 34. In a narrow-band image-generating section 33, a light intensity ratio is calculated by dividing the data value (q11) by the data value (q61) in each pixel, a gain is set by comparing with a standard value, narrow-band image signals with the center wavelength of 415 nm is amplified by the gain, and narrow-band image signals for display are generated and output. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image acquisition method and apparatus for acquiring an image signal output from an image pickup device by picking up an image of the observation target by irradiating the observation target with light, and in particular, for an observation target. The present invention relates to an image acquisition method and apparatus for acquiring a narrowband image signal representing a narrowband image.

  Conventionally, endoscope apparatuses for observing tissue in a body cavity are widely known. A normal image is obtained by imaging an observation target in a body cavity illuminated by white light, and the normal image is displayed on a monitor screen. Electronic endoscope devices have been widely put into practical use.

  As the electronic endoscope apparatus as described above, the biological mucous membrane of the digestive organ (for example, stomach) is imaged through a plurality of types of narrow-band bandpass filters that transmit light in a narrow wavelength band, and a plurality of types of the biological mucosa There is known an electronic endoscope apparatus (Narrow Band Imaging-NBl) that obtains a narrow-band image and displays these narrow-band images as diagnostic images. As such an apparatus, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228667 proposes a device that includes a rotary filter that combines three types of narrow-band bandpass filters that transmit light in different wavelength bands and that performs imaging in a frame sequential manner. Has been.

Further, in Patent Document 2, an RGB mosaic filter having a light source composed of an LED that emits white light and a plurality of LEDs that emit a plurality of narrowband lights, and a plurality of types of wideband bandpass filters on an image sensor. A capsule-type electronic endoscope apparatus has been proposed in which a normal color image is captured in a simultaneous manner and a narrow-band image is acquired.
JP 2002-95635 A JP 2006-68488 A

  In the electronic endoscope apparatus as described above, for example, in order to emphasize the presence of hemoglobin, light having a wavelength near 415 nm and a wavelength near 540 nm where a peak exists in the light absorption spectrum of hemoglobin is used as narrowband light. As a result, it is possible to display an image in which the existing region of hemoglobin is emphasized. The light absorption spectrum of hemoglobin is shown in FIG.

  However, when acquiring a narrow-band image of the large intestine using, for example, an electronic endoscope device or a capsule endoscope, there may be an interfering substance in the large intestine that interferes with diagnosis such as residue. Residues in the large intestine contain bilirubin. FIG. 4 shows the light absorption spectrum of this bilirubin. The light absorption spectrum of bilirubin has a peak near 450 nm, and the base of this absorption peak includes a wavelength of 415 nm. For this reason, there is a problem that an area where bilirubin (residue) actually exists and where hemoglobin does not exist is displayed as if it is emphasized as if hemoglobin exists.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in the presence of a disturbing substance such as bilirubin different from a substance whose presence is to be emphasized on an image, for example, hemoglobin, a narrow band that emphasizes the disturbing substance. An object of the present invention is to provide an image acquisition method and apparatus capable of preventing an image from being generated and acquiring a highly reliable narrowband image.

The image acquisition method of the present invention images an observation target irradiated with white light, acquires a first image signal based on the white light,
Imaging the observation object irradiated with light, obtaining a second image signal by a predetermined narrowband light,
A narrowband image acquisition method for generating a narrowband image based on the second image signal,
Using the first image signal output from the first imaging means and the estimated matrix data stored in advance, an estimated spectral data value of a predetermined wavelength is calculated for each pixel,
The second image signal is amplified based on the estimated spectral data value of the predetermined wavelength, and the narrowband image is generated based on the amplified image signal.

The image acquisition device of the present invention is configured to capture an observation target irradiated with white light and acquire a first image signal based on the white light;
A second imaging means for capturing an image of the observation target irradiated with light and acquiring a second image signal based on a predetermined narrowband light; and (capturing the narrowband light and capturing an image of the reflected light) Or may be irradiated with white light and imaged by an image sensor provided with a narrow band filter) based on the second image signal output from the second imaging means. An image acquisition device having narrowband image generation means for generating a band image,
Estimated spectral data calculation means for calculating an estimated spectral data value of a predetermined wavelength for each pixel using the first image signal output from the first imaging means and estimated matrix data stored in advance. Have
The narrowband image generating means amplifies the second image signal based on the estimated spectral data value of the predetermined wavelength, and generates the narrowband image based on the amplified image signal. It is what.

  Here, the “white light” may be broadband light including visible light, or light composed of three colors of RGB. Further, when the light is composed of light of three colors of RGB, the light of three colors of RGB may be irradiated simultaneously or sequentially.

  In addition, the “second imaging unit that captures an image of the observation target irradiated with light and acquires a second image signal based on a predetermined narrowband light” refers to, for example, an observation target irradiated with narrowband light. The second image signal may be acquired by imaging with an image sensor, or the second image signal is acquired by imaging an observation target irradiated with white light with an image sensor having a narrow band filter. It may be a thing.

  The wavelength of the narrowband light is a wavelength that is absorbed by the first substance existing in the observation target region, and the predetermined wavelength is reflected by the first substance and is present in the observation target region. The wavelength may be absorbed by the two substances.

  If the first substance is hemoglobin, the narrowband light is light having a wavelength around 415 nm, the second substance is bilirubin, and the predetermined wavelength is around 450 nm. Also good.

  According to the first image acquisition method and apparatus of the present invention, the observation object irradiated with white light is imaged, the first image signal is acquired by white light, the observation object irradiated with light is imaged, When the second image signal based on the predetermined narrowband light is acquired and a narrowband image is generated based on the second image signal, the first image signal output from the first imaging unit is stored in advance. The estimated spectral data value of a predetermined wavelength is calculated for each pixel using the estimated matrix data that has been set, the second image signal is amplified based on the estimated spectral data value of the predetermined wavelength, and this amplification In order to generate the narrow-band image based on the image signal, for example, the wavelength of the narrow-band light is set to a wavelength that is absorbed by the first substance present in the observation target, and the predetermined wavelength is set to the first wavelength Reflected by the substance and present in the observation object By setting the wavelength to be absorbed by the second substance, it is possible to control the degree of enhancement of the wavelength in the narrowband image depending on whether or not the second substance is present in the observation target region. When a disturbing substance different from the substance whose presence is to be emphasized, such as hemoglobin, such as bilirubin, is present, it is possible to prevent generation of a narrow band image highlighting the disturbing substance.

  Hereinafter, an endoscope system using an embodiment of an image acquisition device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an endoscope system 1 using an embodiment of the present invention. This endoscope system performs white light irradiation and narrow band light irradiation in a time-sharing manner, and displays a normal image captured by white light irradiation and a narrow band image captured by narrow band light arranged side by side. Is displayed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope system 1 is inserted into a body cavity of a subject and includes a scope unit 20 for observing an observation target, and a processor unit 30 to which the scope unit 20 is detachably connected. It is configured.

  The scope unit 20 includes an illumination optical system 11, LEDs 12 to 14, an LED drive unit 16 that drives the LEDs 12 to 14, an imaging optical system 21, an image sensor 22, an image sensor drive unit 25 that drives the image sensor 22, A CDS / AGC circuit 23 that processes signals output from the image sensor 22, an A / D conversion unit 24 that performs A / D conversion on the signals output from the CDS / AGC circuit 23, and a scope controller that controls the operation of each unit 26.

  The LED 12 is an LED that emits white light L1 for normal image capturing, and the LEDs 13 and 14 are LEDs that emit narrow-band light for narrow-band image capturing. As shown in FIG. 2, the LED 13 emits a narrowband light L2 having a center wavelength of 415 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 to 40 nm, and the LED 14 emits a narrowband light L3 having a center wavelength of 540 nm and a full width at half maximum of 20 to 40 nm. .

  The imaging element 22 is made of, for example, a CCD or a CMOS, and obtains image information by photoelectrically converting the observation target image formed by the imaging optical system 21. The image sensor 22 is provided with a color filter 27 composed of minute RGB filters on the front surface of the image pickup surface. The image signal acquired by the image sensor 22 is sampled and amplified by a CDS / AGC (correlated double sampling / automatic gain control) circuit 23, A / D converted by an A / D converter 24, and then sent to the processor unit 30. Is output.

  The processor unit 30 usually includes an RGB signal acquisition unit 31 that acquires R, G, and B component image signals from the image signal input from the scope unit 30, and an RGB image signal acquired by irradiation with the white light L1. A normal image generation unit 32 that generates an image signal, a narrowband image generation unit 33 that generates a narrowband image signal based on the RGB image signals acquired by irradiation with the narrowband light L2 and the narrowband light L3, and an estimation matrix Estimated spectroscopic data of a predetermined wavelength for each pixel using the storage unit 34 for storing data, the RGB image signal acquired by the irradiation of the white light L1, and the estimation matrix data stored in the storage unit 34 An estimated spectral data calculation unit 35 that calculates a value, a normal image signal generated by the normal image generation unit 32, and a narrowband image generation unit 33. To a narrowband image signal, the display signal generation unit 36 for generating a display image signal by performing various processes, and a control unit 37 for controlling the processor unit 30, the scope unit 20.

The storage unit 34 of the processor unit 30 stores estimated matrix data for calculating estimated spectroscopic data to be observed. The estimated matrix data is stored in advance in the storage unit 34 as a table. This estimated matrix data is matrix data that takes into account the spectral characteristics of the white light L1 irradiated to the observation target and the spectral characteristics of the entire imaging system including the color sensitivity characteristics of the imaging element 22, the wavelength transmittance of the color filter 27, and the like. By obtaining the RGB image signal captured by the CCD 22 and the estimated matrix data, the spectral data of the observation target that does not depend on the spectral emissivity of the white light L1 or the inherent spectral characteristics of the imaging system is obtained. Can do. The details of the estimation matrix data are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-93336 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-202621. In the present embodiment, an example of estimated matrix data stored in the storage unit 34 is as shown in Table 1 below.

The matrix data in Table 1 is composed of, for example, 61 wavelength range parameters (coefficient sets) p1 to p61 obtained by dividing a wavelength range of 400 nm to 700 nm at 5 nm intervals. For example, for the three-color image signals R, G, and B, a matrix calculation represented by the following equation is performed using a 3 × 61 matrix including all parameters of the estimated matrix data stored in the storage unit 34. Estimated spectroscopic data (q1 to q61) can be created.

  In the region where bilirubin is not present, light near 450 nm in the white light L1 is considerably reflected, but in the region where bilirubin is present, light near 450 nm in the white light L1 is absorbed by bilirubin. Almost no reflection. That is, the estimated spectral data value (q11) at 450 nm is a value that reflects the reflectance of light at 450 nm in the observation target, and at the same time, reflects the presence or absence of bilirubin. In the present embodiment, the amplification factor of the image signal when generating the narrow global image signal is changed based on the estimated spectral data value (q11) at 450 nm.

    The display device 2 is composed of a liquid crystal display device, a CRT, or the like, and displays a normal image and a narrowband image based on a display image signal output from the processor unit 30.

  Next, the operation of the endoscope system of this embodiment will be described. First, after the insertion portion of the scope unit 20 is inserted into the body cavity, the LED drive unit 16 alternates between the white LED 12 and the narrow band LEDs 13 and 14 based on a control signal from the control unit 36 of the processor unit 30. To drive.

  When the white LED 12 is driven, the white light L <b> 1 emitted from the white LED 12 is irradiated onto the observation target via the illumination optical system 11. The image sensor 22 driven by the image sensor driving unit 25 captures an image to be observed and outputs an image signal. This image signal is subjected to correlated double sampling and amplification by automatic gain control in the CDS / AGC circuit 23, and then A / D converted in the A / D conversion unit 24 to obtain an RGB signal 31 of the processor unit 30 as a digital signal. Is input. The RGB signal acquisition unit 31 generates and outputs an RGB image signal composed of an R component, a G component, and a B component from the image signal output from the image sensor 22. The RGB image signal acquired by the white light L1 is output to the normal image generation unit 32 and the estimated spectral data calculation unit 35, and the RGB image signal by the irradiation of the narrowband light L2 and the narrowband light L3 is a narrowband. The image is output to the image generation unit 33. The narrowband light L2 corresponds to the B image signal because it is light having a central wavelength of 415 nm, and the narrowband light L3 corresponds to a G image signal because it is light having a central wavelength of 540 nm. The R image signal is output as a zero value because red light is not irradiated on the observation target.

  The normal image signal generation unit 32 appropriately performs various kinds of signal processing on the input RGB image signal based on the white light L1, and outputs the processed signal to the display signal generation unit 36 as a normal RGB image signal.

The estimated spectral data calculation unit 35 uses, for each pixel, the RGB image signal based on the white light L1 output from the RGB signal acquisition unit 31 and the estimated spectral matrix data having a wavelength of 450 nm stored in the storage unit 34 in advance. A matrix calculation represented by the following equation is performed to calculate an estimated spectral data value (q11) at 450 nm and output to the narrowband image generation unit 33.

Similarly, using the RGB image signal output from the RGB signal acquisition unit 31 and the estimated spectral matrix data having a wavelength of 700 nm stored in advance in the storage unit 34, a matrix calculation represented by the following equation is performed to obtain a 700 nm The estimated spectral data value (q61) is calculated and output to the narrowband image generation unit 33.

  When the estimated spectral data value (q11) at 450 nm and the estimated spectral data value (q61) at 700 nm are input from the estimated spectral data calculation unit 35 to the narrowband image generation unit 33, the estimated spectral data value at 450 nm is obtained for each pixel. The light intensity ratio r is calculated by dividing (q11) by the estimated spectral data value (q61) of 700 nm.

  Note that the intensity of 450 nm light reflected from the observation object is substantially proportional to the illuminance of the 450 nm light irradiated to the observation object, but the illuminance of this light decreases in inverse proportion to the square of the distance. Therefore, from the region where bilirubin is present nearer than the region where bilirubin is far away from the light source, strong reflected light may be received, and only the information on the reflected light intensity of the received wavelength 450, It is not possible to know whether bilirubin is present in the area. Therefore, the observation target is irradiated with light having a wavelength band different from that of light having a wavelength of 450 nm as reference light, the intensity of reflected light of the reference light (hereinafter referred to as reference light intensity) is detected, and reflection of light having a wavelength of 450 nm is reflected. There is a method in which the light intensity ratio is obtained by dividing the light intensity by the reference light intensity. This light intensity ratio is a value that reflects the reflectance of 450 nm light in the observation target, and depends on the influence of the distance difference from the tip of the scope unit 20 to each region of the observation target, or the variation in the irradiation intensity of the white light L1. The impact has been reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the estimated spectral data value (q11) at a wavelength of 450 nm is used as the reflected light intensity at a wavelength of 450 nm, and the estimated spectral data value (q61) at a wavelength of 700 nm is used as the reference light intensity. The wavelength 700 nm is a wavelength at which the absorbance by oxyhemoglobin is minimized within the wavelength band of the white light L1, and is a wavelength that is not easily affected by the presence or absence of blood vessels in the observation target. When the estimated spectral data value (q61) at 700 nm is 0, the light intensity ratio diverges. Therefore, when calculating the light intensity ratio, the data value (700 nm estimated spectral data in advance) It is preferable to confirm that q61) is not 0 and then calculate the light intensity ratio.

  Further, as the reference light, for example, the total intensity of the white light L1 or a red component may be used. For example, near infrared light having a desired wavelength in the range of 700 nm to 1000 nm may be used.

  The narrowband image generation unit 33 compares the light intensity ratio r with the reference value S stored in advance in the storage unit 34 for each pixel. When the light intensity ratio r is smaller than the reference value S, that is, when the reflectance of light having a wavelength of 450 nm is small, it is assumed that bilirubin that absorbs light of 450 nm is present, and a gain g1 smaller than 1 is set. When the light intensity ratio is equal to or greater than the reference value 1, it is considered that there is no bilirubin that absorbs 450 nm light, and a gain g2 greater than 1 is set.

  Thereafter, RGB image signals obtained by irradiation with the narrowband light L2 and the narrowband light L3 are input from the RGB signal acquisition unit 31. As described above, the narrowband light L2 is input as a B image signal because it is a light having a center wavelength of 415 nm, and the narrowband light L3 is input as a G image signal because it is a light having a center wavelength of 540 nm. The R image signal is input as a zero value because red light is not irradiated on the observation target.

  The narrowband image generation unit 33 amplifies the input B image signal using the gain g1 or g2 and outputs the amplified B image signal to the display signal generation unit 36 as a display B image signal. The input G image signal is used as a display G and R image signal. The display RGB image signal is appropriately subjected to various types of signal processing, and then output to the display signal generation unit 36 as a narrowband RGB image signal.

  The display signal generation unit 36 generates a Y / C signal composed of the luminance signal Y and the color difference signal C from the normal RGB image signal input from the normal image generation unit 32, and further, for this Y / C signal, Various signal processes such as I / P conversion and noise removal are performed to generate a normal image display signal. Further, a Y / C signal composed of a luminance signal Y and a color difference signal C is generated from the narrowband RGB image signal input from the narrowband image generation unit 33, and further, an I / P is applied to the Y / C signal. Various signal processing such as conversion and noise removal is performed to generate a narrowband image display signal. The narrow-band image display signal and the normal image display signal are combined to generate a display signal and output it to the display device 2.

  The display device 2 displays a normal image and a narrowband image based on the input display signal. In a narrow band image, in a region where the light intensity ratio r is large, that is, in a region where no bilirubin is present, the B image signal corresponding to the light intensity at a wavelength of 415 nm is amplified by a gain greater than 1, and therefore, the region where no hemoglobin exists. The color (blue) is emphasized and displayed, and the visibility of the area where hemoglobin exists is improved. In the region where the light intensity ratio r is small, that is, the region where bilirubin exists, the B image signal corresponding to the light intensity of wavelength 415 nm is amplified by a gain smaller than 1, and thus the region where bilirubin is present is emphasized. There is nothing. For this reason, the region where bilirubin is present is not confused with the region where hemoglobin is present.

  As is apparent from the above description, in the present embodiment, the observation target irradiated with the white light L1 is imaged, an RGB image signal based on the white light is acquired, and the RGB image signal and the storage unit 34 are stored in advance. The estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 450 nm and the estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 700 nm are calculated for each pixel using the estimated matrix data, and the estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 450 nm is divided by the estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 700 nm. The amplification factor of the center wavelength 415 nm narrowband image signal is set based on the light intensity ratio, and the narrowband image is generated based on the center wavelength 415 nm narrowband image signal amplified by this amplification factor. When bilirubin that absorbs light having a wavelength of 450 nm is present, it is possible to prevent generation of a narrow band image in which the bilirubin is emphasized. On the other hand, when bilirubin does not exist in the observation target region and hemoglobin exists, an image in which hemoglobin is emphasized can be purified.

  In the present embodiment, an estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 450 nm and an estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 700 nm are calculated for each pixel, and the estimated spectral data value at 450 nm is divided by the estimated spectral data value at a wavelength of 700 nm. Based on the intensity ratio, the amplification factor of the narrowband image signal having the center wavelength of 415 nm is set. For example, if each region to be observed is present at substantially the same distance from the tip of the scope unit 20, the estimated spectral data of 450 nm The amplification factor may be set based on the estimated spectral data value of 450 nm instead of the light intensity ratio obtained by dividing the value by the estimated spectral data value of wavelength 700 nm.

  In the endoscope system of the above-described embodiment, the primary color type image pickup device having RGB color filters is used as the image pickup device of the scope unit 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, CMY (cyan, magenta, A complementary color image sensor having a yellow color filter may be used.

  In the above description, an example in which the present invention is applied to a simultaneous endoscope system using LEDs that emit narrowband light is described as an embodiment of the image acquisition device of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a time-division endoscope system using a light emitting unit that combines a light source that emits white light and a narrow band filter and an image sensor that is not provided with a color filter.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the endoscope apparatus including the scope unit as in the present embodiment, but can be applied to a laparoscope, a colposcope, a capsule endoscope, or the like.

The block diagram which shows schematic structure of the endoscope system using one Embodiment of the image acquisition apparatus of this invention. The figure which shows the emission spectrum of LED in the endoscope system shown in FIG. Diagram showing the light absorption spectrum of hemoglobin Figure showing the light absorption spectrum of bilirubin

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Endoscope system 2 Display apparatus 11 Optical system for illumination 12, 13, 14 LED
16 LED drive unit 20 Scope unit 21 Imaging optical system 22 Image sensor 23 CDS / AGC circuit 24 A / D conversion unit 25 Image sensor drive unit 26 Scope controller 27 Color filter 30 Processor unit 31 RGB signal acquisition unit 32 Normal image generation unit 33 Narrow band image generation unit 34 Storage unit 35 Estimated spectral data calculation unit 36 Display signal generation unit 37 Control unit

Claims (4)

Imaging the observation object irradiated with white light, obtaining the first image signal by the white light,
Imaging the observation object irradiated with light, obtaining a second image signal by a predetermined narrowband light,
A narrowband image acquisition method for generating a narrowband image based on the second image signal,
Using the first image signal output from the first imaging means and the estimated matrix data stored in advance, an estimated spectral data value of a predetermined wavelength is calculated for each pixel,
An image acquisition method, comprising: amplifying the second image signal based on an estimated spectral data value of the predetermined wavelength; and generating the narrowband image based on the amplified image signal. First imaging means for imaging an observation target irradiated with white light and obtaining a first image signal based on the white light;
A second imaging means for imaging the observation object irradiated with light and acquiring a second image signal by a predetermined narrowband light;
An image acquisition device having narrowband image generation means for generating a narrowband image based on the second image signal output from the second imaging means,
Estimated spectral data value calculation for calculating an estimated spectral data value of a predetermined wavelength for each pixel using the first image signal output from the first imaging means and estimated matrix data stored in advance. Having means,
The narrowband image generating means amplifies the second image signal based on the estimated spectral data value of the predetermined wavelength, and generates the narrowband image based on the amplified image signal. An image acquisition device.   The wavelength of the narrowband light is a wavelength that is absorbed by the first substance existing in the observation target region, and the predetermined wavelength is reflected by the first substance and is present in the observation target region. The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wavelength is absorbed by the two substances.   The first substance is hemoglobin, the narrowband light is light having a wavelength around 415 nm, the second substance is bilirubin, and the predetermined wavelength is around 450 nm. The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus is an image acquisition apparatus.

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