JP2017124035A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device capable of easily determining a timing at which a fluorescent dye is administered when a stored image is reproduced.SOLUTION: When indocyanine green is administered, a signal indicating that indocyanine green is administered to a subject is transmitted from an input part 66 to a control part 60 by an operator's operation of the input part 66. When the control part 60 receives the signal indicating that indocyanine green is administered to the subject, a light source control part 62 turns on a fluorescent light source 24, and turns off the fluorescent light source 24 after a lapse of a predetermined time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that irradiates a fluorescent dye administered into the body of a subject with excitation light and images fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye.

  A technique called near-infrared fluorescence imaging is used for angiography in surgery. In this near-infrared fluorescence imaging, indocyanine green (ICG), which is a fluorescent dye, is injected into an affected area by injecting it with an injector or the like. When indocyanine green is irradiated with near infrared light having a wavelength of about 600 to 850 nm (nanometer) as excitation light, indocyanine green emits near infrared fluorescence having a wavelength of about 750 to 900 nm. This fluorescence is photographed by an imaging device capable of detecting near infrared light, and the image is displayed on a display unit such as a liquid crystal display panel. According to this near-infrared fluorescence imaging, it is possible to observe blood vessels, lymph vessels, and the like existing at a depth of about 20 mm from the body surface.

  In recent years, attention has been focused on a technique in which a tumor is fluorescently labeled and used for surgical navigation. As a fluorescent labeling agent for fluorescently labeling the tumor, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA / 5-Aminolevulinic Acid) is used. When this 5-aminolevulinic acid (hereinafter abbreviated as “5-ALA”) is administered to a subject, 5-ALA is metabolized to a fluorescent dye, PpIX (protoporphyrinIX / protoporphyrinine). . This PpIX accumulates specifically in cancer cells. When PpIX, which is a metabolite of 5-ALA, is irradiated with visible light having a wavelength of about 410 nm, red visible light having a wavelength of about 630 nm is emitted as fluorescence from PpIX. By observing the fluorescence from this PpIX, cancer cells can be confirmed.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an intensity distribution image of near-infrared fluorescence obtained by irradiating an indocyanine green excitation light to a living organ to which indocyanine green is administered, and before indocyanine green administration. Compared with the cancer lesion distribution image obtained by applying X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance or ultrasound to the subject's organs, it is detected by the intensity distribution image of near-infrared fluorescence, but the cancer lesion distribution image Discloses a data collection method for collecting data of a region that is not detected as secondary lesion region data of cancer.

International Publication No. 2009/139466

  In such an imaging device that captures fluorescence from a fluorescent dye that has entered the body, the fluorescence from the subject and the visible image of the subject are simultaneously stored as a moving image, and the captured image recorded by the video recorder is stored. It is configured to play video. As described above, the conventional imaging apparatus records and reproduces an image captured at a predetermined frame rate as a moving image, so that a blood vessel / lymph vessel travels after administration of a fluorescent dye such as ICG in a bright external illumination environment. Observation and confirmation of cancer lesion area.

  Such recorded data can be used not only for reference but also for obtaining new knowledge by using it for analysis. For example, in TIC (Time Intensity Curve) analysis that draws a signal change curve in the time direction of ROI (Region Of Interest), indocyanine green is obtained by obtaining the time until the pixel value of ROI reaches a peak. It is possible to quantitatively evaluate the contrast time of a fluorescent dye such as.

  By the way, in the case of reproducing such a moving image and performing image processing, conventionally, only the visual confirmation has been made as to when the administration of a fluorescent dye such as indocyanine green has started. For this reason, when the state of administering the fluorescent dye is not included in the field of view, it is impossible to determine the timing of administration only with the reproduced moving image.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of easily discriminating the timing at which a fluorescent dye is administered when a stored image is reproduced. And

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the excitation light for irradiating the subject with excitation light for exciting the fluorescent dye administered to the subject, and the excitation light irradiates the excitation light. In an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that acquires a fluorescent image by imaging fluorescence generated from a fluorescent dye, and an image storage unit that stores the fluorescent image as a moving image, toward the subject, the A light source that irradiates light having a wavelength corresponding to fluorescence, and a light source controller that turns on the fluorescent light source for a certain period of time after receiving a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject; and It is provided with.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an excitation light source that irradiates the subject with excitation light for exciting the fluorescent dye administered to the subject, and visible light toward the subject. A fluorescent image and a visible image are obtained by photographing a visible light source that irradiates the fluorescent light, fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye when irradiated with excitation light, and visible light reflected on the surface of the subject. In an imaging device comprising: an imaging unit that performs imaging, and an image storage unit that stores the fluorescent image and the visible image as a moving image, after receiving a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject, And a light source control unit that changes the irradiation intensity of the visible light source only for the period of time.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the input unit according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the input unit transmits a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject by an operator's operation.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluorescent dye is administered to the subject from an injector that injects the fluorescent dye into the subject. Receive a signal that represents.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the fluorescent light source is turned on for a predetermined time after the fluorescent dye is administered to the subject, it is recognized that the fluorescent dye is administered by observing the fluorescent image. can do. For this reason, even when the stored moving image is reproduced, the timing of administration of the fluorescent dye can be easily recognized.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, after the fluorescent dye is administered to the subject, the irradiation intensity of the visible light source changes for a certain period of time. Therefore, the fluorescent dye is administered by observing the visible image. I can recognize that. For this reason, even when the stored moving image is reproduced, the timing of administration of the fluorescent dye can be easily recognized.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject can be transmitted from the input unit by the operation of the operator.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to transmit a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject from the injector that injects the fluorescent dye into the subject.

1 is a perspective view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a side view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a plan view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a perspective view of an illumination / photographing unit 12. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the illumination / photographing unit 12. 2 is a schematic diagram of a camera 21 in an illumination / photographing unit 12. It is a block diagram which shows the main control systems of the imaging device which concerns on this invention. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display mode of a moving image displayed on a monitor 15. FIG. 4 is a graph showing TIC displayed on a monitor 15. 4 is a graph showing TIC displayed on a monitor 15.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

  The imaging apparatus according to the present invention is for irradiating excitation light to indocyanine green as a fluorescent dye injected into the body of a subject and photographing fluorescence emitted from this indocyanine green, A carriage 11 having four wheels 13, an arm mechanism 30 disposed near the front of the carriage 11 in the traveling direction on the upper surface of the carriage 11 (left direction in FIGS. 2 and 3), and the arm mechanism 30 Are provided with an illumination / photographing unit 12 and a monitor 15 arranged via a sub arm 41. A handle 14 used when moving the carriage 11 is attached to the rear of the carriage 11 in the traveling direction. A recess 16 for mounting a remote control for remotely operating the imaging apparatus is formed on the top surface of the carriage 11.

  The arm mechanism 30 described above is disposed on the front side in the traveling direction of the carriage 11. The arm mechanism 30 includes a first arm member 31 connected to a support portion 37 disposed on a support column 36 erected on the front side in the traveling direction of the carriage 11 by a hinge portion 33. The first arm member 31 can swing with respect to the carriage 11 through the support column 36 and the support portion 37 by the action of the hinge portion 33. The monitor 15 described above is attached to the support column 36.

  A second arm member 32 is connected to the upper end of the first arm member 31 by a hinge portion 34. The second arm member 32 can swing with respect to the first arm member 31 by the action of the hinge portion 34. For this reason, the first arm member 31 and the second arm member 32 are the first arm member 31 and the second arm member 32, as indicated by the phantom line with the reference C in FIG. 1 and 3 and a solid line marked with a reference A in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, and a first arm member 31 It is possible to take a standby posture in which the second arm member 32 approaches.

  A support portion 43 is connected to the lower end of the second arm member 32 by a hinge portion 35. The support portion 43 can swing with respect to the second arm member 32 by the action of the hinge portion 35. A rotating shaft 42 is supported on the support portion 43. Then, the sub arm 41 that supports the illumination / photographing unit 12 rotates around the rotation shaft 42 disposed at the tip of the second arm member 32. For this reason, the illumination / photographing unit 12 shoots by rotating the sub arm 41 as shown by a solid line with a symbol A in FIGS. 1 to 3 or as a virtual line with a symbol C in FIG. When the carriage 11 is moved as shown by the position in front of the carriage 11 in the traveling direction with respect to the arm mechanism 30 for taking the attitude or the standby attitude, and the phantom line marked with the symbol B in FIGS. It moves between the position of the rear side in the advancing direction of the carriage 11 with respect to the arm mechanism 30 that is in the above posture.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the illumination / imaging unit 12 described above. FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the illumination / photographing unit 12.

  The illumination / photographing unit 12 includes a camera 21 capable of detecting near-infrared rays and visible light, a visible light source 22 including a plurality of LEDs disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the camera 21, and an outer peripheral portion of the visible light source 22. The light source 23 for excitation which consists of several LED arrange | positioned, and the fluorescence light source 24 which consists of several LED arrange | positioned in several LED which comprises the visible light source 22 are provided. The visible light source 22 emits visible light. The excitation light source 23 irradiates near infrared light having a wavelength of 760 nm, which is excitation light for exciting indocyanine green. The fluorescent light source 24 emits near-infrared light having a wavelength corresponding to 810 nm corresponding to the wavelength of fluorescence generated from indocyanine green. In FIG. 5, some of the many LEDs constituting the visible light source 22 and the many LEDs constituting the excitation light source 23 are not shown. The wavelength of the excitation light source 23 is not limited to 760 nm, and may be any wavelength that can excite indocyanine green. The wavelength of the fluorescent light source 24 is not limited to 810 nm, and may be any wavelength as long as it is close to the wavelength of fluorescence emitted by indocyanine green and can be imaged by the fluorescent imaging element 52 described later. The wavelength corresponding to fluorescence in this specification means a wavelength that approximates the wavelength of fluorescence and can be imaged by the fluorescence imaging element 52.

  In this embodiment, the illumination / photographing unit 12 in which the camera 21, the visible light source 22, the excitation light source 23, and the fluorescent light source 24 are integrated is used. However, the camera 21 and the visible light source 22 are used. In addition, a part or all of the excitation light source 23 and the fluorescence light source 24 may be individually disposed.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the camera 21 in the illumination / photographing unit 12.

  The camera 21 includes a movable lens 54 that reciprocates for focusing, a wavelength selection filter 53, a visible light image sensor 51, and a fluorescence image sensor 52. The visible light image sensor 51 and the fluorescence image sensor 52 are composed of a CMOS or a CCD. Visible light and fluorescence incident on the camera 21 coaxially along the optical axis L pass through the movable lens 54 constituting the focusing mechanism, and then reach the wavelength selection filter 53. Of visible light and fluorescence incident coaxially, visible light is reflected by the wavelength selection filter 53 and enters the visible light image sensor 51. Of the coaxial visible light and fluorescence, the fluorescence passes through the wavelength selection filter 53 and enters the fluorescence imaging device 52. At this time, the visible light is focused on the visible light imaging element 51 and the fluorescence is focused on the fluorescent imaging element 52 by the action of the focusing mechanism including the movable lens 54.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main control system of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

  This imaging apparatus is composed of a CPU that performs logical operations, a ROM that stores operation programs necessary for controlling the apparatus, a RAM that temporarily stores data during control, and the like, and a control unit that controls the entire apparatus 60. The control unit 60 includes an image processing unit 61 that executes various types of image processing on the fluorescent image and the visible image. The control unit 60 includes a light source control unit 62 that can turn on / off the visible light source 22, the excitation light source 23, and the fluorescent light source 24 and control the irradiation intensity thereof.

  The control unit 60 is connected to an input unit 66 for inputting various types of information including that indocyanine green has been administered to a subject to be described later by an operator. The control unit 60 is connected to the monitor 15 described above. The input unit 66 may be disposed on a remote controller for remotely operating the imaging apparatus, or may be disposed on the screen of the monitor 15 when the monitor 15 is a touch panel type. It may be disposed on the carriage 11.

  The control unit 60 is connected to the illumination / photographing unit 12 including the camera 21, the visible light source 22, the excitation light source 23, and the fluorescent light source 24. The control unit 60 is also connected to an image storage unit 63 that stores images taken by the camera 21. The image storage unit 63 includes a fluorescent image storage unit 64 that stores a fluorescent image and a visible image storage unit 65 that stores a visible image. Instead of including the fluorescent image storage unit 64 and the visible image storage unit 65, a combined image storage unit that stores an image obtained by combining (merging) the visible image and the fluorescent image may be provided.

  Further, the control unit 60 is also connected to an injector 100 for injecting indocyanine green into the subject.

  Next, an imaging operation according to the first embodiment when performing an operation or the like on a subject using the imaging apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

  When performing surgery or the like on the subject, the operator operates the handle 14 to move the carriage 11 and moves the imaging apparatus to a place where surgery or the like is performed. When the setting of the imaging device is completed, the visible light source 22 emits visible light toward the affected area of the subject, and the wavelength, which is excitation light for exciting indocyanine green from the excitation light source 23, is 760 nm. Of near infrared light. Then, the vicinity of the affected part of the subject is imaged by the camera 21 in the illumination / imaging unit 12. At this time, the visible light and the excitation light may be irradiated simultaneously, and the visible light and the excitation light are irradiated in pulses at different timings, and the visible light imaging element 51 and the fluorescence imaging shown in FIG. An image may be captured by the element 52 in accordance with the irradiation timing of visible light and excitation light.

  Then, indocyanine green is administered to the subject by injection with the injector 100 shown in FIG. At this time, in one embodiment, when indocyanine green is administered, the operator operates the input unit 66 to send a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject. 66 to the control unit 60. In another embodiment, a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject is transmitted from the injector 100 to the control unit 60.

  When the control unit 60 receives a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject, the light source control unit 62 shown in FIG. 7 turns on the fluorescent light source 24 and after a certain period of time has elapsed. The fluorescent light source 24 is turned off.

  The reflected image of visible light irradiated to the subject is photographed by the visible light imaging element 51 in the camera 21 as a visible image. Indocyanine green administered into the body of the subject is irradiated with near-infrared light having a wavelength of 760 nm as excitation light from the excitation light source 23 and emits fluorescence in the infrared region having a peak at about 810 nm. generate. This fluorescence is photographed as a fluorescence image by the fluorescence imaging element 52 in the camera 21. These visible images and fluorescent images are displayed as moving images on the monitor 15 and are stored as moving images in the fluorescent image storage unit 64 and the visible image storage unit 65 in the image storage unit 63. The visible image and the fluorescent image are stored as an irreversible compressed moving image file for display and an irreversible compressed or uncompressed moving image file for analysis such as TIC.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display mode of a moving image displayed on the monitor 15.

  The monitor 15 displays a visible image, a fluorescent image, and a composite image obtained by combining the visible image and the fluorescent image. A TIC indicating a signal change curve (change in pixel value) in the ROI time direction is displayed in a partial area of the composite image. These visible image, fluorescent image, composite image, and TIC are displayed not only on the monitor 15 but also on a large display unit installed separately from the imaging apparatus.

  FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are graphs showing the TIC displayed on the monitor 15. In these figures, the vertical axis indicates the pixel value of the fluorescent image in the ROI, and the horizontal axis indicates time. Symbols A and B indicate changes in pixel values at different portions in the ROI.

  In the TIC analysis, it is possible to quantitatively evaluate the contrast time of indocyanine green by obtaining the time until the ROI pixel value reaches a peak. When the TIC is displayed by analyzing the fluorescence image stored in the fluorescence image storage unit 64, a signal change curve in the ROI time direction is displayed as shown in FIG. In this case, conventionally, it was impossible to recognize at what timing the administration of indocyanine green was started.

  In contrast, in the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, when the control unit 60 receives a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject, the light source control unit 62 causes the fluorescent light source 24 to be turned on. The fluorescent light source 24 is turned off after a certain time has elapsed. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 10, while the fluorescent light source 24 is lit, the pixel value of the fluorescent image temporarily rises rapidly, so that the timing of administration of indocyanine green can be easily recognized. Is possible. For this reason, at each site, it is possible to easily recognize the times PA and PB from when indocyanine green is administered to when the fluorescence generated from indocyanine green peaks.

  Next explained is the second embodiment of the invention.

  In the imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment described above, the light source control unit 62 is configured to turn on the fluorescent light source 24 for a certain time after receiving a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject. Adopted. In contrast, in the imaging apparatus according to the second embodiment, visible light irradiation from the visible light source 22 is performed for a certain period of time after receiving a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject. A configuration that changes the strength is adopted.

  That is, in the second embodiment, when the control unit 60 receives a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject, the light source control unit 62 shown in FIG. The irradiation intensity of visible light is increased, and the irradiation intensity is returned to the original intensity after a certain time has elapsed. Thereby, the visible image displayed on the display unit of the visible image in the monitor 15 shown in FIG. 8 is temporarily displayed brightly. By recognizing this, it becomes possible to easily recognize the timing of administration of indocyanine green.

  In the second embodiment, the timing of indocyanine green administration may be recognized by obtaining a TIC as shown in FIG. 10 for the visible image. In addition, when receiving a signal indicating that indocyanine green has been administered to the subject, the light source control unit 62 reduces the irradiation intensity instead of increasing the irradiation intensity of the visible light from the visible light source 22. May be.

  In the above-described embodiment, indocyanine green is used as a material containing a fluorescent dye, and the indocyanine green is irradiated with near-infrared light of about 600 nm to 850 nm as excitation light. The case of emitting fluorescence in the near-infrared region having a peak at approximately 810 nm from the above has been described, but light other than near-infrared light may be used.

  Further, instead of using indocyanine green as the fluorescent dye, other fluorescent dyes such as the above-mentioned 5-ALA may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Carriage 12 Illumination and imaging | photography part 15 Monitor 21 Camera 22 Visible light source 23 Excitation light source 24 Fluorescent light source 30 Arm mechanism 51 Imaging means for visible light 52 Imaging means for fluorescence 60 Control part 61 Image processing part 52 Light source control part 63 Image storage part 64 Fluorescent image storage unit 65 Visible image storage unit 66 Input unit 100 Injector

Claims (4)

An excitation light source for irradiating the subject with excitation light for exciting the fluorescent dye administered to the subject;
An imaging unit that acquires a fluorescence image by imaging fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye by being irradiated with excitation light; and
An image storage unit for storing the fluorescent image as a moving image;
In an imaging apparatus comprising:
A fluorescent light source for irradiating light of a wavelength corresponding to the fluorescence toward the subject;
A light source controller that turns on the fluorescent light source for a certain time after receiving a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject; and
An imaging apparatus comprising: An excitation light source for irradiating the subject with excitation light for exciting the fluorescent dye administered to the subject;
A visible light source that emits visible light toward the subject; and
An imaging unit that acquires a fluorescence image and a visible image by imaging fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye by irradiation of excitation light and visible light reflected on the surface of the subject,
An image storage unit for storing the fluorescent image and the visible image as a moving image;
In an imaging apparatus comprising:
An imaging apparatus, comprising: a light source control unit that changes an irradiation intensity of the visible light source for a predetermined time after receiving a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An imaging apparatus comprising an input unit for transmitting a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject by an operator's operation. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An imaging apparatus that receives a signal indicating that the fluorescent dye has been administered to the subject from an injector that injects the fluorescent dye into the subject.

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