JP2016144507A - Endoscope system, processor device, and operation method for endoscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope system, processor device, and operation method for the endoscope system for extracting a blood vessel of a patient.SOLUTION: An endoscope system 10 includes: an endoscope 12; a light source device 14; and a processor device 16. The endoscope 12 images a patient and outputs an image signal. The light source device 14 illuminates the patient. The processor device 16 has an image processing unit for highlighting blood vessel 60. The image processing unit for highlighting blood vessel 60 includes: an image generating unit 70, a first blood vessel extraction part 72; a second blood vessel extraction part 74; and a composition processor 76. The image generating unit 70 generates an endoscopic image based on the image signal. The first blood vessel extraction part 72 outputs a first blood vessel extraction image including a middle-deep layer blood vessel extracted from the endoscopic image. The second blood vessel extraction part 74 outputs a second blood vessel extraction image including the middle-deep layer blood vessel and surface layer blood vessel extracted from the endoscopic image. The composition processor 76 composes the endoscopic image, the first blood vessel extraction image, and the second blood vessel extraction image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope system that extracts a blood vessel to be observed, a processor device, and an operation method of the endoscope system.

  In a medical field, diagnosis using an endoscope system including a light source device, an endoscope, and a processor device is widely performed. The light source device generates illumination light for illuminating the observation target. An endoscope images an observation target illuminated with illumination light with an imaging sensor and outputs an image signal. The processor device generates an image to be observed from the image signal transmitted from the endoscope and displays the image on the monitor.

  In recent years, thin superficial blood vessels that exist in the vicinity of the shallow surface layer from the surface of the observation target and thick middle and deep blood vessels that exist in the middle and deep layers from the surface of the observation target are extracted from the image obtained by imaging the observation target. Diagnosis using an image in which blood vessels are clearly copied has been performed by superimposing the extracted surface blood vessels and middle and deep layers on the image. For example, Patent Literature 1 extracts a normal blood vessel and a blood vessel enhancement image for blood vessel extraction at the same time, and performs blood vessel extraction processing such as a frequency filter on the blood vessel enhancement image to extract surface blood vessels and middle-deep blood vessels. At the same time, these blood vessels are displayed superimposed on the normal image.

Patent 5501210

  For superficial blood vessels and mid-deep blood vessels, it is useful information for diagnosing lesions such as cancer. Therefore, it is possible to extract superficial blood vessels and mid-deep blood vessels without omission and provide the doctor with images that emphasize these blood vessels. It has been demanded. Here, although the processing load of the processor device is not so large for the process of extracting the thick middle-and-deep blood vessels, the process of extracting the thin surface-layer blood vessels is more difficult than the process of extracting the thick middle-and-deep blood vessels. In many cases, the processing burden is large. Therefore, when thin superficial blood vessels are continuously extracted and displayed on an image, the processing of the processor device may be delayed, resulting in a problem such as deterioration of moving image properties.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope system, a processor device, and an operation method of the endoscope system that display an image obtained by extracting surface blood vessels and intermediate deep blood vessels without imposing a processing burden.

  In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope system of the present invention includes an imaging sensor that images an observation target, and an image generation unit that continuously generates an endoscopic image using an image signal obtained from the imaging sensor. By applying the first blood vessel extraction process to the endoscopic image or the image signal for generating the endoscopic image, the blood vessel to be observed on the endoscopic image continuously generated by the image generating unit A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs the extracted first blood vessel extraction image, and an endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from endoscopic images that are continuously generated, By performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on an image signal for generating an endoscopic image intermittently selected from the endoscopic image, Extract blood vessels to be observed for some endoscopic images. Of the second blood vessel extraction unit that outputs the second blood vessel extraction image, the first blood vessel extraction image acquired at the first timing, and the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the second timing before the first timing, A synthesis processing unit that synthesizes the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the timing closest to the timing with the endoscope image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image;

  In addition, an endoscope system of the present invention includes an imaging sensor that images an observation target, an image generation unit that continuously generates an endoscope image using an image signal obtained from the imaging sensor, an endoscope image or First blood vessel extraction in which a blood vessel to be observed is extracted from an endoscope image continuously generated by the image generation unit by performing a first blood vessel extraction process on an image signal for generating an endoscopic image A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs an image, and an endoscopic image intermittently selected from continuously generated endoscopic images, or intermittently from continuously generated endoscopic images By applying a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process to the image signal for generating the endoscopic image selected in step S1, a part of the endoscopic images A second blood vessel extraction image in which the blood vessel to be observed is extracted from the mirror image A second blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a still image, a still image acquisition instruction unit that instructs acquisition of a still image of an endoscopic image, and a still image acquisition instruction A selection unit that selects one endoscopic image suitable for a still image from a plurality of endoscopic images generated during a specific period before and after, and an endoscopic image selected by the selection unit are acquired. When the timing is set to the first timing, the first blood vessel extraction image acquired at the first timing and the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the second timing before the first timing are closest to the first timing. The image processing apparatus includes a combining processing unit that combines the acquired second blood vessel extraction image with the endoscope image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image, and displays or records the image as a still image.

  The processor device of the present invention includes an image signal acquisition unit that acquires an image signal obtained by imaging an observation target with an imaging sensor, and an image that continuously generates an endoscopic image using the image signal obtained from the imaging sensor. The first blood vessel extraction process is performed on the generation unit and the image signal for generating the endoscopic image or the endoscopic image, so that the endoscope image continuously generated by the image generation unit A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a first blood vessel extraction image from which blood vessels have been extracted, and an endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from endoscopic images that are continuously generated, or are generated continuously. By performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on an image signal for generating an endoscopic image intermittently selected from the endoscope image, the endoscope About some endoscopic images A second blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting a blood vessel to be observed, a first blood vessel extraction image acquired at a first timing, and a second blood vessel extraction acquired at a second timing before the first timing A synthesis processing unit that generates a display image by synthesizing the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the timing closest to the first timing with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing. Prepare.

  The operation method of the endoscope system according to the present invention includes a step in which an image generation unit continuously generates an endoscope image using an image signal obtained by imaging an observation target by an imaging sensor, and a first blood vessel The extraction unit performs the first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image or the image signal for generating the endoscopic image, so that the endoscopic images continuously generated by the image generation unit are subject to observation. A step of outputting a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting blood vessels; and a second blood vessel extraction unit continuously or continuously with respect to an endoscopic image selected from endoscopic images generated continuously By applying a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process to an image signal for generating an endoscope image intermittently selected from the endoscope image generated in Observe some of the endoscopic images A step of outputting a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting an elephant blood vessel; a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by the synthesis processing unit at a first timing; and a second blood vessel extraction obtained at a second timing before the first timing. Synthesizing the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the timing closest to the first timing among the images with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image.

  The first blood vessel extraction process is a low-resolution blood vessel extraction process for extracting a middle-deep blood vessel to be observed, and the second blood vessel extraction process is a high-resolution blood vessel extraction for extracting a surface blood vessel and a middle deep blood vessel to be observed. A treatment is preferred.

  The synthesis processing unit preferably aligns the second blood vessel extraction image with respect to the endoscopic image and the first blood vessel extraction image with reference to the middle deep blood vessel.

  It is preferable to include a blood vessel information index calculation unit that calculates a blood vessel information index related to a blood vessel to be observed using the first blood vessel extraction image or the second blood vessel extraction image. The synthesis processing unit preferably generates a display image by synthesizing a blood vessel information index with an endoscope image in addition to the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image. The blood vessel information index is preferably the density of blood vessels to be observed.

  An endoscopic image, an image signal for generating an endoscopic image, or a first blood vessel extraction image is used to detect a motion amount of an observation target, and a second blood vessel extraction using the motion amount It is preferable to include a control unit that changes the frequency of the second blood vessel extraction processing by the unit.

  The control unit stops the second blood vessel extraction process when the motion amount is larger than the first threshold value, and performs the second blood vessel extraction process at the first frequency when the motion amount is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and equal to or less than the first threshold value. Therefore, it is preferable that the second blood vessel extraction process is performed at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the amount of motion is smaller than the second threshold.

  It is preferable to include a first processing device provided with a first blood vessel extraction unit and a synthesis processing unit, and a second processing device provided with a second blood vessel extraction unit and having a higher processing capacity than the first processing device.

  When the second blood vessel extraction image is not input from the second processing device for a certain period of time, the synthesis processing unit preferably generates the display image without synthesizing the second blood vessel extraction image with the endoscopic image.

  A tagging unit that is provided in the first processing device and attaches a tag to the endoscopic image, and an endoscopic image with a tag that is provided in the first processing device and is tagged is transmitted to the second processing device. Provided in the first processing device side transmission unit and the second processing device, provided in the second processing device, a second processing device side reception unit for receiving the tagged endoscopic image from the first processing device side transmission unit A second processing device-side transmission unit for transmitting the tagged second blood vessel extraction image output by performing the second blood vessel extraction processing on the tagged endoscopic image to the first processing device; It is preferable to include a first processing device side receiving unit that is provided in one processing device and receives a tagged second blood vessel extraction image from the second processing device side transmission unit.

  According to the present invention, an endoscopic image that is subjected to a first blood vessel extraction process for extracting a blood vessel from a continuously generated endoscopic image and is intermittently selected from endoscopic images that are continuously generated. The second blood vessel extraction process for extracting blood vessels with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process is performed, and the first blood vessel extraction image output by the first blood vessel extraction process and the second blood vessel extraction process are output. An endoscope system, a processor device, and an endoscope for displaying an image obtained by extracting surface blood vessels and middle-deep blood vessels without applying a processing burden by combining the second blood vessel extraction image with the endoscope image A method of operating the system can be provided.

It is an external view of an endoscope system. It is a block diagram which shows the function of an endoscope system. It is a graph which shows the spectrum of purple light, blue light, green light, and red light. It is a graph which shows the spectral characteristic of a color filter. It is explanatory drawing explaining the production | generation of an endoscopic image. It is a schematic diagram which shows an endoscopic image. It is explanatory drawing explaining the production | generation of a 1st blood vessel extraction image. It is a schematic diagram which shows a 1st blood vessel extraction image. It is explanatory drawing explaining the production | generation of a 2nd blood vessel extraction image. It is a schematic diagram which shows a 2nd blood vessel extraction image. It is explanatory drawing explaining the production | generation of the image for a display. It is a schematic diagram which shows the image for a display. It is a flowchart explaining the effect | action of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram explaining the function of the image processing part for blood vessel emphasis in 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the image for a display which displayed the information based on a blood-vessel information parameter | index. It is a block diagram explaining the function of the image processing part for blood vessel emphasis in 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows control of the 2nd blood vessel extraction process in 3rd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the processor apparatus and external processing apparatus in 4th Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining tagging with respect to an endoscopic image. It is explanatory drawing explaining the production | generation of the 2nd blood vessel extraction image in 4th Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the synthesis | combination according to the presence or absence of the input of a 2nd blood vessel extraction image. It is a block diagram which shows the function of the endoscope system of 5th Embodiment. It is a graph which shows the emission spectrum of white light. It is a graph which shows the emission spectrum of special light. It is a block diagram which shows the function of the endoscope system of 6th Embodiment. It is a top view which shows a rotation filter.

[First Embodiment]
In FIG. 1, the endoscope system 10 includes an endoscope 12, a light source device 14, a processor device 16, a monitor 18, and a console 19. The endoscope 12 is optically connected to the light source device 14 and electrically connected to the processor device 16. The endoscope 12 includes an insertion portion 12a to be inserted into the body to be observed, an operation portion 12b provided at the proximal end portion of the insertion portion 12a, a bending portion 12c provided at the distal end side of the insertion portion 12a, and a distal end. Part 12d. The bending portion 12c bends by operating the angle knob 12e of the operation portion 12b. The distal end portion 12d is directed in a desired direction by the bending operation of the bending portion 12c.

  In addition to the angle knob 12e, the operation unit 12b is provided with a mode switch SW (mode switch) 12f and a still image acquisition instruction unit 12g. The mode switching SW 12f is used for an observation mode switching operation. The endoscope system 10 has a normal mode and a blood vessel extraction mode as observation modes. In the normal mode, an image having a natural hue (hereinafter referred to as a normal image) obtained by capturing an observation target using white light as illumination light is displayed on the monitor 18. In the blood vessel extraction mode, an image in which blood vessels included in the observation target are emphasized (hereinafter referred to as a blood vessel emphasized image) is displayed on the monitor 18. The still image acquisition instruction unit 12g is used to instruct the endoscope system 10 to acquire a still image, and to display the acquired still image on the monitor 18 or to record it in a storage (not shown).

  The processor device 16 is electrically connected to the monitor 18 and the console 19. The monitor 18 outputs and displays an image to be observed and information attached to the image to be observed. The console 19 functions as a user interface that receives input operations such as function settings. The processor device 16 may be connected to an external recording unit (not shown) for recording images and image information.

  In FIG. 2, the light source device 14 includes a light source 20 and a light source control unit 21 that controls the light source 20. The light source 20 includes, for example, a plurality of semiconductor light sources, and these are turned on or off, and when they are turned on, the amount of light emitted from each semiconductor light source is controlled to emit illumination light for illuminating the observation target. . In the present embodiment, the light source 20 includes a V-LED (Violet Light Emitting Diode) 20a, a B-LED (Blue Light Emitting Diode) 20b, a G-LED (Green Light Emitting Diode) 20c, and an R-LED (Red Light Emitting Diode). Diode) 20d has four-color LEDs.

  In FIG. 3, a V-LED 20a is a violet semiconductor light source that emits violet light V having a center wavelength of 405 nm and a wavelength band of 380 nm to 420 nm. The B-LED 20b is a blue semiconductor light source that emits blue light B having a center wavelength of 460 nm and a wavelength band of 420 nm to 500 nm. The G-LED 20c is a green semiconductor light source that emits green light G having a wavelength band ranging from 480 nm to 600 nm. The R-LED 20d is a red semiconductor light source that emits red light R with a center wavelength of 620 nm to 630 nm and a wavelength band of 600 nm to 650 nm. The center wavelengths of the V-LED 20a and the B-LED 20b have a width of about ± 5 nm to ± 10 nm.

  The light source control unit 21 independently controls the lighting and extinction of each LED 20a to 20d, the light emission amount at the time of lighting, and the like by inputting a control signal to each of the LEDs 20a to 20d independently. In the present embodiment, the light source control unit 21 turns on all the V-LEDs 20a, B-LEDs 20b, G-LEDs 20c, and R-LEDs 20d in both the normal mode and the blood vessel extraction mode. For this reason, white light including purple light V, blue light B, green light G, and red light R is used as illumination light in the normal mode and the blood vessel extraction mode.

  The light of each color emitted from each of the LEDs 20a to 20d is incident on a light guide 25 inserted into the insertion portion 12a through an optical path coupling portion 23 constituted by a mirror, a lens, and the like. The light guide 25 is built in the endoscope 12 and the universal cord (a cord connecting the endoscope 12, the light source device 14, and the processor device 16). The light guide 25 propagates illumination light emitted from the light source 20 to the distal end portion 12 d of the endoscope 12.

  The distal end portion 12d of the endoscope 12 is provided with an illumination optical system 30a and an imaging optical system 30b. The illumination optical system 30 a has an illumination lens 32, and the illumination light propagated by the light guide 25 is irradiated to the observation target through the illumination lens 32. The imaging optical system 30 b includes an objective lens 42 and an imaging sensor 44. Various types of light such as reflected light, scattered light, and fluorescence from the observation target due to the illumination light being incident on the image sensor 44 through the objective lens 42. As a result, an image to be observed is formed on the image sensor 44.

  The imaging sensor 44 is a color imaging sensor that images an observation target illuminated with illumination light. Each pixel of the image sensor 44 is provided with one of a B (blue) color filter, a G (green) color filter, and an R (red) color filter shown in FIG. Therefore, the image sensor 44 receives purple to blue light at the B pixel (blue pixel) provided with the B color filter, and receives green light at the G pixel (green pixel) provided with the G color filter. Then, red light is received by the R pixel (red pixel) provided with the R color filter. Then, RGB color image signals are output from each color pixel.

  As the image sensor 44, a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor can be used. In place of the primary color image sensor 44, a complementary color image sensor having complementary color filters of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and G (green) may be used. When the complementary color imaging sensor is used, CMYG four-color image signals are output. By converting the CMYG four-color image signals into RGB three-color image signals by complementary color-primary color conversion, The RGB image signals similar to those of the image sensor 44 can be obtained. Instead of the image sensor 44, a monochrome image sensor without a color filter may be used.

  A CDS / AGC (Correlated Double Sampling / Automatic Gain Control) circuit 46 performs correlated double sampling (CDS) and automatic gain control (AGC) on an analog image signal obtained from the image sensor 44. The image signal that has passed through the CDS / AGC circuit 46 is converted into a digital image signal by an A / D (Analog / Digital) converter 48. The digital image signal after A / D conversion is input to the processor device 16.

  The processor device 16 includes an image signal acquisition unit 50, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 52, a noise removal unit 54, an image processing switching unit 56, a normal image processing unit 58, and a blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60. A video signal generator 62 and a selector 64 are provided. The image signal acquisition unit 50 acquires a digital image signal from the imaging sensor 44 via the CDS / AGC circuit 46 and the A / D converter 48.

  The DSP 52 performs various signal processing such as defect correction processing, offset processing, gain correction processing, linear matrix processing, gamma conversion processing, and demosaicing processing on the acquired image signal. In the defect correction process, the signal of the defective pixel of the image sensor 44 is corrected. In the offset process, the dark current component is removed from the image signal subjected to the defect correction process, and an accurate zero level is set. In the gain correction process, the signal level is adjusted by multiplying the image signal after the offset process by a specific gain.

  The image signal after gain correction processing is subjected to linear matrix processing for improving color reproducibility. After that, brightness and saturation are adjusted by gamma conversion processing. The image signal after the gamma conversion processing is subjected to demosaic processing (also referred to as isotropic processing or synchronization processing), and a signal of insufficient color at each pixel is generated by interpolation. By this demosaic processing, all the pixels have RGB signals. The noise removal unit 54 removes noise by performing noise removal processing (for example, using a moving average method or a median filter method) on the image signal that has been demosaiced by the DSP 52. The image signal from which the noise has been removed is transmitted to the image processing switching unit 56.

  The image processing switching unit 56 transmits an image signal to the normal image processing unit 58 when the normal mode is set by the operation of the mode switching SW 12f, and when set to the blood vessel extraction mode, the image processing switching unit 56 The signal is transmitted to the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60.

  The normal image processing unit 58 performs color conversion processing, color enhancement processing, and structure enhancement processing on the image signal received from the image processing switching unit 56 to generate a normal image. In the color conversion processing, color conversion processing is performed on the image signal by 3 × 3 matrix processing, gradation conversion processing, three-dimensional LUT (look-up table) processing, and the like. The color enhancement process is performed on the image signal that has been subjected to the color conversion process. The structure enhancement process is a process for enhancing the structure of the observation target such as a blood vessel or a pit pattern (gland duct), and is performed on the image signal after the color enhancement process. A color image using an image signal subjected to various image processing as described above is a normal image.

  The blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60 generates a blood vessel emphasized image in which blood vessels included in the observation target are emphasized from the image signal received from the image processing switching unit 56.

  The blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60 includes an image generation unit 70, a first blood vessel extraction unit 72, a second blood vessel extraction unit 74, and a synthesis processing unit 76 (see FIG. 2). The image generation unit 70 receives the image signal from the image processing switching unit 56.

  The image generation unit 70 generates an endoscopic image using the image signal received from the image processing switching unit 56. For example, as with the normal image processing unit 58, the image generation unit 70 generates an endoscopic image by performing color conversion processing, color enhancement processing, and structure enhancement processing on the image signal. Specifically, in FIG. 5, when the image generation unit 70 continuously receives image signals at each time ta to tj, the image generation unit 70 performs the above-described various processes on each of the image signals at each time ta to tf. . Thereby, the image generation part 70 produces | generates continuously the endoscopic images 82a-82j of each time ta-tj.

  In FIG. 6, for example, an endoscopic image 82g generated at the time tg generated by the image generation unit 70 is a thick medium-deep layer existing at a depth of about the medium-deep layer from the surface of the mucous membrane 83 in addition to the mucosa 83 to be observed. A blood vessel 84 and a thin superficial blood vessel 85 existing at a depth from the surface of the mucous membrane 83 to the vicinity of the superficial layer can be observed. The same applies to endoscopic images at other times, and the mucous membrane 83, the mid-depth blood vessel 84, and the surface blood vessel 85 can be observed. The image generation unit 70 transmits the generated endoscope image to the first blood vessel extraction unit 72, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74, and the synthesis processing unit 76.

  The first blood vessel extraction unit 72 outputs a first blood vessel extraction image by performing a first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image received from the image generation unit 70. The first blood vessel extraction processing is low-resolution blood vessel extraction processing for obtaining a low-frequency component corresponding to a thick middle-deep blood vessel by performing low-accuracy frequency analysis on the endoscopic image. When performing frequency analysis with low accuracy, a low frequency component is obtained and a high frequency component cannot be obtained. However, since the processing load on the processor device 16 is small, the time until the analysis result is output is short. On the other hand, when performing a frequency analysis with high accuracy, a low-frequency component and a high-frequency component can be obtained. Therefore, the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 performs the first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic images continuously generated by the image generation unit 70, so that the first blood vessel extraction image from which the mid-deep blood vessels have been extracted is substantially the same. Output in real time.

  Specifically, in FIG. 7, the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 performs a first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic images 82 a to 82 j that the image generation unit 70 continuously generates at times ta to tj. Accordingly, the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 outputs the first blood vessel extraction images 86a to 86j in real time with respect to the endoscopic images 82a to 82j generated at the times ta to tj.

  In FIG. 8, for example, in the first blood vessel extraction image 86g, the middle-layer blood vessel 84 is extracted from the endoscope image 82g generated by the image generation unit 70 at time tg. The mid-deep blood vessels 84 are similarly extracted from the other first blood vessel extraction images. The first blood vessel extraction unit 72 transmits the output first blood vessel extraction image to the synthesis processing unit 76.

  The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 outputs a second blood vessel extraction image by performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image received from the image generation unit 70. . The second blood vessel extraction process performs a frequency analysis with higher calculation accuracy than the frequency analysis performed in the first blood vessel extraction process, whereby a low frequency component corresponding to a thick middle-deep blood vessel and a high frequency corresponding to a thin surface blood vessel. This is a high-resolution blood vessel extraction process for obtaining components. For this reason, the time until the second blood vessel extraction image is output in the second blood vessel extraction processing is longer than the time until the first blood vessel extraction image is output in the first blood vessel extraction processing.

  The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from the endoscopic images continuously generated by the image generation unit 70. Specifically, in FIG. 9, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image every 5 frames from among the 10 frames of endoscopic images 82a to 82j. Apply. For example, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs a second blood vessel extraction process on the first frame of the endoscopic image 82a generated at time ta, so that the second blood vessel extraction corresponding to the endoscopic image 82a is performed. The image 88a is output. The second blood vessel extraction image 88a is output at a time te that is four frames after the time ta when the second blood vessel extraction processing is started for the endoscopic image 82a. Further, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscope image 82f of the sixth frame generated at time tf, so that the second blood vessel extraction corresponding to the endoscope image 82f is performed. The image 88b is output. The second blood vessel extraction image 88b is output at a time tj four frames after the time tf when the second blood vessel extraction processing is started for the endoscopic image 82f.

  In FIG. 10, in the second blood vessel extraction image 88a, the middle-deep blood vessel 84 and the surface blood vessel 85 are extracted from the endoscope image 82a generated by the image generation unit 70 at time ta. Further, in the second blood vessel extraction image 88b, the mid-deep blood vessel 84 and the surface blood vessel 85 are extracted from the endoscope image 82f generated by the image generation unit 70 at time tf. The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 transmits the output second blood vessel extraction image to the synthesis processing unit 76.

  The synthesis processing unit 76 performs the first blood vessel extraction image received from the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 and the second blood vessel extraction received from the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 on the endoscopic image received from the image generation unit 70. The image is combined with the image to generate a display image for display on the monitor 18. The composition processing unit 76 transmits the generated display image to the video signal generation unit 62.

  In the following, a description will be given of a case where the composition processing unit 76 generates a display image at a specific first timing.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the first timing is time tg, the synthesis processing unit 76 obtains the first blood vessel extraction image 86g acquired at time tg and the second timing acquired before time tg. A display image 90 at time tg is generated using the second blood vessel extraction image 88a acquired at time te which is the timing closest to time tg among the two blood vessel extraction images. Here, the first blood vessel extraction image 86g is an image obtained by performing the first blood vessel extraction processing on the endoscope image 82g at time tg, whereas the second blood vessel extraction image 88a is within the time ta. This is an image obtained by performing the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image 82a. Therefore, the first blood vessel extraction image 86g and the second blood vessel extraction image 88a may be misaligned.

  For this reason, the composition processing unit 76 aligns the second blood vessel extraction image 88a with respect to the endoscope image 82g and the first blood vessel extraction image 86g. For example, the composition processing unit 76 is included in each of the endoscopic image 82g (see FIG. 6), the first blood vessel extraction image 86g (see FIG. 8), and the second blood vessel extraction image 88a (see FIG. 10). The second blood vessel extraction image 88a is aligned with respect to the endoscope image 82g and the first blood vessel extraction image 86g with the deep blood vessel 84 as a reference. Then, after the alignment, the synthesis processing unit 76 synthesizes the first blood vessel extraction image 86g and the second blood vessel extraction image 88a with the endoscopic image 82g, thereby displaying an image for display as shown in FIG. 90 is generated.

  As an example of a method for performing the synthesis, the synthesis processing unit 76 includes an image signal of a pixel corresponding to the middle deep blood vessel 84 included in each of the first blood vessel extraction image 86g and the second blood vessel extraction image 88a, and a second The image signal of the pixel corresponding to the surface blood vessel 85 included in the blood vessel extraction image 88a is superimposed (added or multiplied) on the endoscope image 82g. Thereby, in the display image 90, the image signal of the pixel corresponding to the middle deep blood vessel 84 and the image signal of the pixel corresponding to the surface blood vessel 85 are larger than the endoscopic image 82g. Therefore, in the display image 90, the intermediate deep blood vessel 84 and the superficial blood vessel 85 are highlighted with respect to the endoscopic image 82g.

  The video signal generation unit 62 converts the image received from the normal image processing unit 58 or the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60 into a video signal for display as an image that can be displayed on the monitor 18, and sequentially outputs the video signal to the monitor 18. To do. Thus, the normal image is displayed on the monitor 18 when a normal image is input, and the display image is displayed as a blood vessel emphasized image when a display image is input.

  Next, the effect | action of this invention is demonstrated along the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the blood vessel extraction mode is set (S11), the image generation unit 70 continuously acquires image signals obtained by imaging the observation target (S12). The image generation unit 70 continuously generates an endoscopic image from these image signals (S13). The first blood vessel extraction unit 72 performs the first blood vessel extraction process on the continuously generated endoscopic images (S14), thereby outputting the first blood vessel extraction image from which the middle-deep blood vessels have been extracted (S15). ).

  The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 executes a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on an endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from continuously generated endoscopic images. By doing this (S16), the second blood vessel extraction image from which the middle-layer blood vessel and the surface blood vessel are extracted is output (S17).

  The composition processing unit 76 aligns the second blood vessel extraction image with respect to the endoscopic image and the first blood vessel extraction image (S18), and the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction with respect to the endoscope image. By synthesizing the images (S19), a display image is generated (S20). Specifically, the synthesizing processing unit 76 has a timing closest to the first timing among the first blood vessel extraction image acquired at the first timing and the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the second timing before the first timing. The second blood vessel extraction image acquired in step 1 is combined with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image. The monitor 18 displays the generated display image (S21).

  As described above, the present invention performs low-resolution first blood vessel extraction processing on all frames of endoscopic images that are continuously generated, outputs a first blood vessel extracted image, and is continuously generated. A second blood vessel extraction image is output by performing high-resolution second blood vessel extraction processing on an endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from the endoscopic images, and the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image Therefore, the processing load of the processor device is reduced, and an image similar to the case where the high-resolution second blood vessel extraction processing is performed in all frames can be displayed.

  In addition, when there is a still image acquisition instruction from the still image acquisition instruction unit 12g, the composition processing unit 76 selects from a plurality of endoscopic images generated during a specific period before and after the still image acquisition instruction. A display image is generated by synthesizing the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image with respect to the endoscopic image selected by the unit 64 (see FIG. 2), and this display image is used as a still image. It may be displayed. The selection unit 64 selects one endoscopic image suitable for a still image from among a plurality of endoscopic images generated during a specific period. For example, the selection unit 64 selects an endoscope image having the highest high-frequency component from among a plurality of endoscope images. Note that the composition processing unit 76 may record a still image in a storage (not shown).

  Specifically, the synthesis processing unit 76 displays the first blood vessel extraction image acquired at the first timing when the timing at which the endoscopic image selected by the selection unit 64 is acquired is the first timing. It selects as the 1st blood vessel extraction image used for generation of a picture for operation. Further, the synthesis processing unit 76 generates the second blood vessel extraction image acquired at the timing closest to the first timing among the second blood vessel extraction images acquired at the second timing before the first timing to generate a display image. It selects as the 2nd blood vessel extraction image to be used. Then, the synthesis processing unit 76 converts the selected first blood vessel extraction image and second blood vessel extraction image into an endoscopic image acquired at the first timing (that is, an endoscopic image selected by the selection unit 64). On the other hand, a display image is generated by synthesizing, and this display image is set as a still image.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the 1st blood vessel extraction part 72 has performed the 1st blood vessel extraction process with respect to the endoscopic image, it is the 1st blood vessel with respect to the image signal for producing | generating an endoscopic image. An extraction process may be performed.

  The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image that is intermittently selected from the endoscopic images continuously generated by the image generation unit 70. You may perform a 2nd blood-vessel extraction process with respect to the image signal for producing | generating the endoscopic image intermittently selected from the produced | generated endoscopic image.

[Second Embodiment]
In the second embodiment, using the first blood vessel extraction image output from the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 or the second blood vessel extraction image output from the second blood vessel extraction unit 74, blood vessel information related to the blood vessel to be observed is used as an index. The blood vessel information index converted into a numerical value is calculated. In the second embodiment, a blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 91 is provided instead of the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 14, the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 91 includes a synthesis processing unit 92, blood vessel information, in addition to the image generation unit 70, the first blood vessel extraction unit 72, and the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 of the first embodiment. And an index calculation unit 93.

  The synthesis processing unit 92 outputs the first blood vessel extraction image output by the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 and the first blood vessel extraction unit 74 output by the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 with respect to the endoscope image generated by the image generation unit 70. Similar to the first embodiment, the two blood vessel extraction images are combined after being aligned to generate a base image. This base image is an image in which the mid-depth blood vessel 84 and the surface blood vessel 85 are emphasized with respect to the endoscopic image, and is the same image as the display image of the first embodiment, but is displayed on the monitor 18. Not. The composition processing unit 92 transmits the base image to the blood vessel information index calculation unit 93.

  The blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 calculates a blood vessel information index from the base image received from the synthesis processing unit 92. The blood vessel information index is preferably a ratio of blood vessels included in the observation target in a unit area, that is, a blood vessel density. When calculating the density of blood vessels, for example, the blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 cuts out a region having a specific size (unit area) from the base image, and calculates the proportion of blood vessels in all the pixels in the region. By performing this operation for all the pixels in the base image, the blood vessel density is calculated. The blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 transmits the calculated blood vessel information index to the synthesis processing unit 92 (see FIG. 14).

When the blood vessel information index is received from the blood vessel information index calculation unit 93, the synthesis processing unit 92 generates a display image by synthesizing information based on the blood vessel information index with the generated base image. That is, the synthesis processing unit 92 generates a display image by synthesizing the blood vessel information index with the endoscope image in addition to the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image. For example, the synthesis processing unit 92 generates a display image 96 illustrated in FIG. 15 by performing overlap processing on the base image so as to display information based on the blood vessel information index. In the display image 96, for example, a numerical value indicating the density of blood vessels is displayed in the upper left region 98 or the like. In addition, when the pixel indicating the blood vessel on the screen is represented by a pixel (pix), the density of the blood vessel is represented by pix- ² because the pixel representing the blood vessel occupies per unit area (pix ² ). For example, in FIG. 15, the density of blood vessels is displayed as 0.24 (pix ⁻² ). Further, the composition processing unit 92 performs a coloring process on the base image according to the blood vessel information index, thereby generating a display image so as to display a region in which the blood vessel information index is a certain value or more in a pseudo color. May be. Further, the pseudo color region may be displayed in a different color depending on the numerical value of the blood vessel information index. In this way, by displaying the display image 96 based on the blood vessel information index on the monitor 18, the diagnosis of the lesion can be performed reliably.

  The blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 calculates a blood vessel information index from the base image received from the synthesis processing unit 92. However, the blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 receives the first blood vessel extraction image from the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 and receives the first blood vessel. A blood vessel information index may be calculated from the extracted image. The blood vessel information index calculation unit 93 may receive the second blood vessel extraction image from the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 and calculate the blood vessel information index from the second blood vessel extraction image.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 executes the second blood vessel extraction process intermittently at regular time intervals. In the third embodiment, according to the amount of motion of the observation target, The frequency with which the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 executes the second blood vessel extraction process is changed. In the third embodiment, a blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 100 is provided instead of the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 16, the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 100 includes a motion detection unit 102 and a control unit 104 in addition to the units included in the first embodiment.

  The motion detection unit 102 receives the endoscopic images continuously generated by the image generation unit 70, and detects the amount of motion of the observation target using the received endoscopic images. The motion detection unit 102, for example, between the intermediate deep blood vessel 84 included in the endoscopic image 82a generated at time ta and the intermediate deep blood vessel 84 included in the endoscopic image 82b generated at time tb. Detect the amount of movement. The motion detection unit 102 transmits the detected amount of motion to the control unit 104.

  The control unit 104 controls the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 to change the execution frequency of the second blood vessel extraction process based on the amount of motion received from the motion detection unit 102.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, when the control unit 104 receives a motion amount from the motion detection unit 102 (S31), the control unit 104 determines whether or not the motion amount is larger than a first threshold value (S32). When the amount of motion is larger than the first threshold (YES in S32), the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 is controlled to stop the second blood vessel extraction process (S33). When the amount of movement is larger than the first threshold value, the endoscope may be moved greatly by screening or the like, so the processing load on the processor device is reduced by stopping the second blood vessel extraction process.

  If the amount of motion is less than or equal to the first threshold (NO in S32), it is determined whether the amount of motion is greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than or equal to the first threshold (S34). Note that the first threshold value is larger than the second threshold value. If the amount of motion is not less than the second threshold and not more than the first threshold (YES in S34), the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 is controlled to execute the second blood vessel extraction process at the first frequency (S35). When the amount of movement is greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than or equal to the first threshold, since the observation target is observed by moving the endoscope relatively slowly, the second blood vessel extraction process is performed at the first frequency. Thus, diagnosis can be performed while viewing the display image on which the middle-deep blood vessel and the surface blood vessel are displayed.

  When the amount of motion is smaller than the second threshold (NO in S34), the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 is controlled to execute the second blood vessel extraction process at a second frequency lower than the first frequency ( S36). When the amount of movement is smaller than the second threshold value, there is a possibility that the movement of the endoscope is stopped in order to examine the observation target. Therefore, the second blood vessel extraction process is performed at a second level lower than the first frequency. This reduces the processing load on the processor device.

  Note that the motion detection unit 102 detects the amount of motion of the observation target using continuously generated endoscopic images, but the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 continuously outputs the first blood vessel extraction. An image may be received, and the amount of movement of the observation target may be detected using the first blood vessel extraction image.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the fourth embodiment, the first blood vessel extraction unit 72 and the synthesis processing unit 76 are provided in the processor device 16 (corresponding to the “first processing device” of the present invention), while the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 is provided in the processor device. 16 is provided in an external external processing apparatus 112 (corresponding to the “second processing apparatus” of the present invention) (see FIG. 18) connected to the terminal 16 via a connection cable (not shown).

  Specifically, in FIG. 18, the blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 60 of the processor device 16 in the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a second blood vessel extraction unit 74 is not provided, Appending unit 114, first transmission unit 116 (corresponding to “first processing device side transmission unit” of the present invention), and first reception unit 118 (corresponding to “first processing device side reception unit” of the present invention). ) And are provided. In addition to the second blood vessel extraction unit 74, the external processing device 112 includes a second reception unit 120 (corresponding to the “second processing device side reception unit” of the present invention) and a second transmission unit 122 (the present invention). Corresponding to the “second processing apparatus side transmitter”). The external processing device 112 is a computer equipped with a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or the like, and has a higher processing capability for images than the processor device 16. The processing capability for an image indicates the processing speed of image processing performed on the image. Therefore, when the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs the second blood vessel extraction processing, the external processing device 112 is faster than the processor device 16 until the processing result is output, that is, the image processing for the image. Is faster than the processor device 16. In the fourth embodiment, an endoscope image is transmitted and received between the processor device 16 and the external processing device 112 via the first transmission unit 116 and the second reception unit 120, and the second transmission is performed. The second blood vessel extraction image is transmitted / received via the unit 122 and the first receiving unit 118.

  When the tagging unit 114 acquires endoscopic images generated continuously from the image generation unit 70, the tagging unit 114 adds tags to the endoscopic images generated continuously. The tag has information related to the timing at which the endoscopic image is generated. For example, in FIG. 19, the tagging unit 114 generates a tagged endoscopic image 121a by attaching a tag X having information on the time ta to the endoscopic image 82a acquired at the time ta. . Thereafter, similarly for the endoscopic images 82b to 82j acquired at times tb to tj, the tagging unit 114 also includes tagged endoscopic images to which tags having information of the times tb to tj are attached. Is generated. The generated tagged endoscopic image is transmitted to the second receiving unit 120 of the external processing device 112 via the first transmitting unit 116.

  The second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs a second blood vessel extraction process on the tagged endoscopic image received by the second reception unit 120 from the first transmission unit 116, thereby providing a tagged second blood vessel extraction image. Is output. Since the external processing device 112 has a higher processing speed of image processing on the image than the processor device 16, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 compares the second blood vessel extraction image with the second blood vessel extraction unit of the first embodiment. The time until output is short.

  For example, in FIG. 20, the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 performs a second blood vessel extraction process on the tagged endoscopic image 121a, thereby providing a tagged second blood vessel extraction image 122a with a tag X attached thereto. Is output. The tagged second blood vessel extraction image 122a is output at a time tc two frames after the time ta at which the endoscopic image 82a is generated. The output tagged second blood vessel extraction image 122 a is transmitted to the first reception unit 118 of the processor device 16 via the second transmission unit 122.

  The synthesis processing unit 76 receives the second blood vessel extracted at the timing closest to the first timing among the first blood vessel extracted image acquired at the first timing and the second blood vessel extracted image received at the second timing before the first timing. The blood vessel extraction image is combined with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image.

  As described above, by providing the second blood vessel extraction unit 74 that performs the second blood vessel extraction processing with high accuracy in the external processing device 112 having a higher processing capability than the processor device 16, the processing load on the processor device 16 can be reduced. Even when the endoscopic image and the second blood vessel extraction image are transmitted and received between the processor device 16 and the external processing device 112, the information is based on the tag information that associates the endoscopic image with the second blood vessel extraction image. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a large positional shift between the endoscopic image and the second blood vessel extraction image.

  Note that the composition processing unit 76 of the processor device 16 in the fourth embodiment performs the second blood vessel on the endoscope image when the second blood vessel extraction image is not input from the external processing device 112 for a certain period. You may make it synthesize | combine only a 1st blood-vessel extraction image, without synthesize | combining an extraction image. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 21, the composition processing unit 76 determines whether or not the second blood vessel extraction image is input from the external processing device 112 (S41). When there is no input of the second blood vessel extraction image for a certain period (YES in S41), the synthesis processing unit 76 does not synthesize the second blood vessel extraction image with the endoscopic image, and only the first blood vessel extraction image. Is synthesized (S42). On the other hand, when the second blood vessel extraction image is input within a certain period (NO in S41), the composition processing unit 76 adds the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image to the endoscope image. Synthesize (S43). As described above, when there is no input of the second blood vessel extraction image for a certain period, communication between the processor device 16 and the external processing device 112 is interrupted, or the external processing device 112 is out of order. Therefore, the processing burden on the processor device 16 can be reduced by not synthesizing the second blood vessel extraction image. When there is no input of the second blood vessel extraction image for a certain period, a warning may be displayed on the monitor 18 indicating that an abnormality has occurred.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In the fifth embodiment, the observation target is illuminated using a laser light source and a phosphor instead of the four-color LEDs 20a to 20d shown in the first embodiment. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 22, in the endoscope system 200 of the fifth embodiment, in the light source device 14, a blue laser light source that emits blue laser light having a center wavelength of 445 ± 10 nm instead of the four-color LEDs 20 a to 20 d (see FIG. 22). 22, a blue-violet laser light source (indicated as “405LD” in FIG. 22) 206 that emits blue-violet laser light having a center wavelength of 405 ± 10 nm is provided. Light emission from the semiconductor light emitting elements of these light sources 204 and 206 is individually controlled by the light source control unit 208, and the light quantity ratio between the emitted light of the blue laser light source 204 and the emitted light of the blue-violet laser light source 206 is freely changeable. It has become.

  The light source control unit 208 drives the blue laser light source 204 in the normal mode. In contrast, in the blood vessel extraction mode, both the blue laser light source 204 and the blue violet laser light source 206 are driven, and the emission ratio of the blue laser light is larger than the emission ratio of the blue violet laser light. I have control. The laser light emitted from each of the light sources 204 and 206 is incident on the light guide 25 through optical members (all not shown) such as a condenser lens, an optical fiber, and a multiplexer.

  Note that the full width at half maximum of the blue laser beam or the blue-violet laser beam is preferably about ± 10 nm. As the blue laser light source 204 and the blue-violet laser light source 206, a broad area type InGaN laser diode can be used, and an InGaNAs laser diode or a GaNAs laser diode can also be used. In addition, a light-emitting body such as a light-emitting diode may be used as the light source.

  In addition to the illumination lens 32, the illumination optical system 30a is provided with a phosphor 210 on which blue laser light or blue-violet laser light from the light guide 25 is incident. The phosphor 210 is excited by blue laser light and emits fluorescence. Further, part of the blue laser light is transmitted without exciting the phosphor 210. The blue-violet laser light is transmitted without exciting the phosphor 210. The light emitted from the phosphor 210 illuminates the body to be observed through the illumination lens 32.

  Here, in the normal mode, mainly the blue laser light is incident on the phosphor 210. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 23, the white color obtained by combining the blue laser light and the fluorescence excited and emitted from the phosphor 210 by the blue laser light. The observation object is illuminated with light. On the other hand, in the blood vessel extraction mode, since both the blue-violet laser beam and the blue laser beam are incident on the phosphor 210, the phosphor is generated by the blue-violet laser beam, the blue laser beam, and the blue laser beam as shown in FIG. The observation target is illuminated by special light obtained by combining the fluorescence excited and emitted from 210.

The phosphor 210 absorbs part of the blue laser light and emits green to yellow excitation light (for example, YAG phosphor or phosphor such as BAM (BaMgAl ₁₀ O ₁₇ )). It is preferable to use what is comprised including. If a semiconductor light emitting device is used as an excitation light source for the phosphor 210 as in this configuration example, high intensity white light can be obtained with high luminous efficiency, and the intensity of white light can be easily adjusted. Changes in temperature and chromaticity can be kept small.

[Sixth Embodiment]
In the sixth embodiment, the observation target is illuminated using a broadband light source such as a xenon lamp and a rotary filter instead of the four-color LEDs 20a to 20d shown in the first embodiment. Further, instead of the color image sensor 44, the observation target is imaged with a monochrome image sensor. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 25, in the endoscope system 300 of the sixth embodiment, the light source device 14 is provided with a broadband light source 302, a rotary filter 304, and a filter switching unit 305 instead of the four-color LEDs 20a to 20d. Yes. The imaging optical system 30b is provided with a monochrome imaging sensor 306 that is not provided with a color filter, instead of the color imaging sensor 44.

  The broadband light source 302 is a xenon lamp, a white LED, or the like, and emits white light having a wavelength range from blue to red. The rotary filter 304 includes a normal mode filter 308 provided on the inner side and a blood vessel extraction mode filter 309 provided on the outer side (see FIG. 26). The filter switching unit 305 moves the rotary filter 304 in the radial direction. When the normal mode is set by the mode switching SW 12f, the filter switching unit 305 inserts the normal mode filter 308 of the rotary filter 304 into the white light path, When the blood vessel extraction mode is set, the blood vessel extraction mode filter 309 of the rotation filter 304 is inserted into the optical path of white light.

  As shown in FIG. 26, the normal mode filter 308 includes, in the circumferential direction, a B filter 308a that transmits blue light of white light, a G filter 308b that transmits green light of white light, and white light. Among them, an R filter 308c that transmits red light is provided. Therefore, in the normal mode, the rotation filter 304 is rotated, so that blue light, green light, and red light are alternately irradiated on the observation target.

  The blood vessel extraction mode filter 309 includes, along the circumferential direction, a Bn filter 309a that transmits blue narrow-band light having a specific wavelength among white light, a G filter 309b that transmits green light among white light, and white light. Among them, an R filter 309c that transmits red light is provided. Therefore, in the blood vessel extraction mode, the rotation filter 304 is rotated, so that the observation target is alternately irradiated with the blue narrow band light, the green light, and the red light.

  In the endoscope system 300, in the normal mode, the observation target is imaged by the monochrome imaging sensor 306 every time the observation target is illuminated with blue light, green light, and red light. Thereby, RGB image signals of three colors are obtained. Based on the RGB color image signals, a normal image is generated by the same method as in the first embodiment.

  On the other hand, in the blood vessel extraction mode, the observation target is imaged by the monochrome imaging sensor 306 every time the observation target is illuminated with blue narrow band light, green light, and red light. Thereby, a Bn image signal, a G image signal, and an R image signal are obtained. Based on these Bn image signal, G image signal, and R image signal, a blood vessel emphasized image is generated. As described above, the Bn image signal is used instead of the B image signal for generating the blood vessel emphasized image. Other than that, the blood vessel emphasized image is generated by the same method as in the first embodiment.

10, 200, 300 Endoscope system 12 Endoscope 12g Still image acquisition instruction unit 14 Light source device 16 Processor device (first processing device)
60, 91, 100 Blood vessel enhancement image processing unit 64 Selection unit 70 Image generation unit 72 First blood vessel extraction unit 74 Second blood vessel extraction unit 76, 92 Synthesis processing unit 93 Blood vessel information index calculation unit 102 Motion detection unit 104 Control unit 112 External processing device (second processing device)
114 Tagging part 116 1st transmission part (1st processing apparatus side transmission part)
118 1st receiving part (1st processing device side receiving part)
120 Second receiver (second processor side receiver)
122 2nd transmission part (2nd processing apparatus side transmission part)

Claims (14)

An imaging sensor for imaging an observation target;
An image generation unit that continuously generates an endoscopic image using an image signal obtained from the imaging sensor;
The endoscope image continuously generated by the image generator by applying a first blood vessel extraction process to the endoscope image or the image signal for generating the endoscope image, A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting blood vessels to be observed;
The endoscope selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously or with respect to the endoscopic image selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously By performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on the image signal for generating an image, a part of the endoscopic images among the endoscopic images A second blood vessel extraction unit for outputting a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting the blood vessel to be observed;
A first blood vessel extraction image acquired at a first timing and a second blood vessel extraction image acquired at a timing closest to the first timing among second blood vessel extraction images acquired at a second timing before the first timing; An endoscope system comprising: a combination processing unit that combines an endoscope image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image. The first blood vessel extraction process is a low-resolution blood vessel extraction process for extracting the middle-deep blood vessel of the observation target;
The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the second blood vessel extraction process is a high-resolution blood vessel extraction process for extracting the surface blood vessel and the intermediate deep blood vessel to be observed.   The endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein the synthesis processing unit aligns the second blood vessel extraction image with respect to the endoscopic image and the first blood vessel extraction image with respect to the intermediate deep blood vessel. .   The inside of any one of Claims 1-3 provided with the blood vessel information parameter | index calculation part which calculates the blood vessel information parameter | index regarding the said blood vessel of the observation object using the said 1st blood vessel extraction image or the said 2nd blood vessel extraction image. Endoscopy system.   5. The internal processing unit according to claim 4, wherein the synthesis processing unit generates the display image by synthesizing the blood vessel information index with the endoscopic image in addition to the first blood vessel extraction image and the second blood vessel extraction image. Endoscopy system.   The endoscope system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the blood vessel information index is a density of a blood vessel to be observed. A motion detector that detects the amount of motion of the observation object using the endoscopic image, the image signal for generating the endoscopic image, or the first blood vessel extraction image;
The endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that changes the frequency of the second blood vessel extraction processing by the second blood vessel extraction unit using the amount of movement.   The control unit stops the second blood vessel extraction process when the amount of motion is greater than a first threshold value, and performs the second blood vessel extraction process when the amount of motion is greater than or equal to a second threshold value and less than or equal to the first threshold value. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second blood vessel extraction processing is performed at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the movement amount is smaller than the second threshold. Endoscopy system. A first processing apparatus provided with the first blood vessel extraction unit and the synthesis processing unit;
The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a second processing device provided with the second blood vessel extraction unit and having a processing capability higher than that of the first processing device.   The synthesis processing unit generates the display image without synthesizing the second blood vessel extraction image with the endoscopic image when the second blood vessel extraction image is not input from the second processing device for a certain period of time. The endoscope system according to claim 9. A tagging unit provided in the first processing device, for tagging the endoscopic image;
Provided in the first processing device, the first processing device-side transmission unit for transmitting the tagged endoscopic image with the tag attached thereto to the second processing device, and provided in the second processing device, A second processor side receiver for receiving the tagged endoscopic image from the first processor side transmitter;
A second blood vessel extraction image with a tag provided in the second processing device and output by performing the second blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image with the tag is transmitted to the first processing device. A second processing device side transmission unit;
The endoscope according to claim 10, further comprising: a first processing device-side receiving unit that is provided in the first processing device and receives the tagged second blood vessel extraction image from the second processing device-side transmission unit. system. An imaging sensor for imaging an observation target;
An image generation unit that continuously generates an endoscopic image using an image signal obtained from the imaging sensor;
The endoscope image continuously generated by the image generator by applying a first blood vessel extraction process to the endoscope image or the image signal for generating the endoscope image, A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting blood vessels to be observed;
The endoscope selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously or with respect to the endoscopic image selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously By performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on the image signal for generating an image, a part of the endoscopic images among the endoscopic images A second blood vessel extraction unit for outputting a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting the blood vessel to be observed;
A still image acquisition instruction unit for instructing acquisition of a still image of the endoscopic image;
When there is a still image acquisition instruction from the still image acquisition instruction unit, one of the plurality of endoscopic images generated during a specific period before and after the still image acquisition instruction is suitable for a still image. A selection unit for selecting the endoscopic image;
When the timing at which the endoscope image selected by the selection unit is acquired is the first timing, the first blood vessel extraction image acquired at the first timing and the second timing before the first timing are acquired. Of the second extracted blood vessel images, the second extracted blood vessel image acquired at the timing closest to the first timing is combined with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing to obtain a display image. An endoscope system including a synthesis processing unit that generates and displays or records the still image. An image signal acquisition unit for acquiring an image signal obtained by imaging an observation target by an imaging sensor;
An image generation unit that continuously generates an endoscopic image using an image signal obtained from the imaging sensor;
The observation of the endoscopic image continuously generated by the image generation unit by applying a first blood vessel extraction process to the endoscopic image or the image signal for generating the endoscopic image A first blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting a target blood vessel;
The endoscope selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously or with respect to the endoscopic image selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously By performing a second blood vessel extraction process with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction process on the image signal for generating an image, a part of the endoscopic images among the endoscopic images A second blood vessel extraction unit that outputs a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting the blood vessel to be observed;
A first blood vessel extraction image acquired at a first timing and a second blood vessel extraction image acquired at a timing closest to the first timing among second blood vessel extraction images acquired at a second timing before the first timing; Is combined with the endoscopic image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image. A step of continuously generating an endoscopic image using an image signal obtained by imaging an observation target by an imaging sensor;
The first blood vessel extraction unit performs the first blood vessel extraction process on the endoscopic image or the image signal for generating the endoscopic image, thereby continuously generating the image generation unit. Outputting a first blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting the blood vessel to be observed with respect to an endoscopic image;
The second blood vessel extraction unit is intermittently selected for the endoscopic image selected intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously or intermittently from the endoscopic image generated continuously. A part of the endoscopic image is obtained by performing second blood vessel extraction processing with higher accuracy than the first blood vessel extraction processing on the selected image signal for generating the endoscopic image. Outputting a second blood vessel extraction image obtained by extracting the blood vessel to be observed from the endoscopic image of
The synthesis processing unit obtains the first blood vessel extracted image acquired at the first timing and the second blood vessel extracted image acquired at the second timing before the first timing at the timing acquired closest to the first timing. A method of operating an endoscope system comprising: synthesizing two blood vessel extraction images with an endoscope image acquired at the first timing to generate a display image.

Images