JP2682650B2 - Radiation detection endoscope - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a radiation detection endoscope capable of detecting radiation in a body cavity.

[Problems to be Solved by Conventional Techniques and Inventions] In recent years, a slender insertion portion is inserted into a body cavity to observe an organ in the body cavity or the like, and a treatment instrument that is inserted into a treatment instrument channel when necessary. The endoscopes that can be used for various treatments are widely used.

On the other hand, as a means for detecting and diagnosing cancer, it has been performed to detect the presence of cancer, the extent of invasion, metastasis, etc. by detecting the radiation that specifically collects in cancer cells. For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-5168 discloses a technique of endoscopically introducing a radiation detection sensor for β rays or the like into a body cavity to detect the presence of cancer while observing with the naked eye.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, conventionally, although it was possible to know the radiation source, that is, the presence of cancer, it was difficult to correspond to the endoscopic image. However, it was difficult to confirm the location of deep cancer or lymph node metastasis.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a radiation detection endoscope capable of easily detecting a radiation source included in an observation site at the same time as observing an endoscope image. The purpose is to do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A radiation detection endoscope of the present invention is provided with an imaging optical system that is provided at the distal end portion of an insertion portion and forms an image of an object, and an object image formed by the imaging optical system. Is provided on the optical axis of the image-forming optical system and behind the image-forming optical system, and around the radiation-detecting means. And a radiation shielding means for shielding radiation.

[Operation] In the present invention, the subject image is formed by the image forming optical system and sent to the image display means by the image transmission means. Since the radiation detecting means has its surroundings shielded by the radiation shielding means, the incident angle of the radiation is regulated. The radiation detection means provided on the optical axis of the imaging optical system displays the detection of radiation on the subject image displayed by the image display means.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 relates to the first embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of an endoscope.

The endoscope 1 includes an elongated insertion portion 2 having flexibility, for example, and a large-diameter operation portion 3 is connected to a rear end of the insertion portion 2. A flexible universal cord 4 is laterally extended from the operation portion 3, and a connector 6 is provided at the tip of the universal cord 4. The connector 6 is connected to the light source device 7 that emits illumination light.

An eyepiece 8 for observing a subject image with the naked eye is provided at the rear end of the operation unit 3, and the eyepiece 8 is detachably attached to an external television camera (hereinafter abbreviated as TV camera). ) 9 is attached. The TV camera 9 is connected to the video processing device 12 and is capable of transmitting a video signal.

This video processing device 12 has a monitor 13 as an image display means.
It is connected to to display the subject image.

A frame body 14 as a radiation shielding means formed of a radiation attenuating material having an effect of attenuating radiation such as lead is provided at a tip portion of the insertion portion 2, and is provided in a front portion of the frame body 14. The opening 16 is located on the distal end surface of the insertion portion 2. An image forming lens system 17 as an image forming optical system is provided in the front portion of the frame body 14.
An incident end face of an image guide fiber 18 formed by a fiber bundle as an image transmission means is provided at the image forming position of 17. This image guide fiber 18
Is curved in the frame body 14 so as to be separated from the optical axis of the imaging lens system 17, penetrates the rear wall 19 of the frame body 14, and is guided to the eyepiece section 8 via the insertion section 2 and the operation section 3. Has been.

Behind the frame 14 and behind the curved image guide fiber 18, a semiconductor radiation detector 21 as radiation detecting means moves in the front-back direction on an extension of the optical axis of the imaging lens system 17. It is provided so that you can. The semiconductor radiation detector 21 is connected to the radiation detection circuit 25 of the video processing device 12 by a signal line 20.

Furthermore, the exit end face of the light guide fiber 22 formed by the universal cord 4 and the fiber bundle inserted through the inside of the insertion part 2 is provided on the tip end face of the insertion part 2 and observed by the imaging lens system 17. You can illuminate the subject. The incident end face of the light guide fiber 22 is provided in the connector 6, and when it is connected to the light source device 7, it is emitted from the light source lamp 23 provided in the light source device 7 and is condensed by the condenser lens 24. The illuminated light is incident.

A solid-state image pickup device 26 as an image pickup means is provided in the TV camera 9 attached to the eyepiece section 8. The solid-state image pickup device 26 has an image pickup surface provided behind the emission end face of the image guide fiber 18. Through the eyepiece 34
The subject image is formed by 36. still,
R (red), G (green), B
A color filter array 37 in which transmission filters of respective colors such as (blue) are arranged in a mosaic pattern is provided. A signal line 27 is connected to the solid-state imaging device 26, and the video processing device
It is connected to a video signal processing circuit 28 provided in 12 and sends out a video signal. The video signal processing circuit 28 drives the solid-state imaging device 26 and processes the output signal of the solid-state imaging device 26 as a video signal.

The video signal generated by the video processing circuit 28 is an adder circuit.
It is output to the monitor 13 via 29, and the monitor 13 displays the subject image. Further, the radiation detection circuit 25 is adapted to compare the output signal of the semiconductor radiation detector 21 with a predetermined level. The radiation detection circuit 25 is connected to the character generation circuit 31. The character generation circuit 31 generates a predetermined character 32 when a signal indicating that the output signal of the semiconductor radiation detector 21 is higher than or equal to a predetermined level is input from the radiation detection circuit 25, and the character 32 is generated as described above. It is designed to be sent to the adder circuit 29.

 Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When the examination of cancer is performed using the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment, the cancer antibody or the cancer marked with the radioisotope is likely to be collected immediately before the examination (the cancer has high activity).
Deoxyglucose or the like is injected into the body by intravenous injection or the like. These reagents concentrate on the cancer 33, and the cancer 33 emits radiation such as γ-rays.

When the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted through the oral cavity or the like and the light source lamp 23 of the light source device 7 is turned on, the light source lamp 23
The emitted illumination light is condensed by the condenser lens 24 and is incident on the incident end face of the light guide fiber 22.
Then, the light guide fiber 22 guides the light to the tip, and the light is emitted from the tip toward the subject. The image of the subject is guided by the imaging lens system 17 Image guide Guide fiber
An image is formed on the incident end face of 18. The formed image of the subject is guided by the image guide fiber 18, passes through the eyepiece lens 34 and the image forming lens 36, and is formed on the image pickup surface of the solid-state image pickup device 26. The output signal of the solid-state image pickup device 26 is input to the video signal processing circuit 28 in the video processing device 12 through the signal line 27, and the video signal is processed. The video signal generated by the video signal processing circuit 28 is input to the monitor 13 via the adding circuit 29, and the monitor 13
The subject image is displayed on 13.

By the way, when the distal end portion of the endoscope 1 is located at a position facing the cancer 33, the radiation emitted from the cancer 33 passes through the opening 16 of the frame body 14 made of a radiation attenuating material such as lead to the inside of the frame body 14. Incident on. Radiation passes through the imaging lens system 17 and the image guide fiber 18 and enters the semiconductor radiation detector 21. At this time, the angle of incidence of the radiation on the detector 21 depends on the diameter of the opening 16 and the distance between the opening 16 and the detector 21. That is, by moving the position of the detector 21 in the front-rear direction as indicated by the arrow, the visual field angle of the subject image and the radiation incident angle can be matched. The detector 21 is fixed at a position where the incident angle of radiation coincides with the viewing angle, and the radiation is detected. In this way the radiation reaches the detector 21. The output signal of the detector 21 is input to the radiation detection circuit 25 in the video processing device 12 via the signal line 20. The radiation detection circuit 25 compares the input signal with a predetermined level and outputs the signal to the character generation circuit 31 when the level is equal to or higher than this level. By comparing with a predetermined level in this way, the influence of the background can be eliminated, and the semiconductor detector 21
It is possible to measure the radiation of a subject image in real time without turning off the light source lamp 23 even when the light source has light sensitivity.

The character signal generated by the character generation circuit 31 is output to the addition circuit 29 and superposed on the video signal generated by the video signal processing circuit 28. The video signal on which the character signal is superimposed is output to the monitor 13. This monitor 13
The subject image and the character 32 indicating that the cancer 33 is present in the subject image currently displayed are simultaneously displayed on.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to detect the presence of the radiation source in the subject image by superimposing the character 32 on the subject image. Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm the presence or absence of deep cancer or lymph node metastasis, and it is possible to easily and surely determine the surgery method and treatment method.

FIG. 2 relates to the second embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the endoscope distal end portion.

The insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a tip portion main body 41 as a radiation shielding means formed of a radiation attenuating material such as stainless steel. An observation opening 41 and an illumination through hole 42 are provided in the distal end portion main body 41 in the longitudinal direction. An imaging lens system 17 as an imaging optical system is provided in front of the observation opening 41, and an optical axis is bent behind the imaging lens system 17 substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction. The mirror 43 is provided so as to do so. This mirror 43
Further, a mirror 44 is provided to face the
The optical axis bent by 43 is guided again in the longitudinal direction. Behind the mirror 44, an incident end face of the image guide fiber 18 formed of a fiber bundle is provided so that a subject image can be incident.

Behind the mirror 43 and on the extension line of the optical axis of the imaging lens system 17, a semiconductor radiation detector 21 as a radiation detecting means is provided, which is incident from the observation opening 41 and enters the imaging lens system 17 The radiation transmitted through the mirror 43 and the mirror 43 is incident. The radiation incident angle of the semiconductor radiation detector 21 is regulated by the tip body 40 and is equal to the field angle of the imaging lens system 17.

The light guide fiber 22 formed of a fiber bundle is inserted through the illumination through hole 42 to illuminate a subject with illumination light.

 Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the mirrors 43 and 44 are used so as not to bend the image guide fiber 18 in the tip end body 40, so that the length of the tip end portion can be shortened. Further, the image guide fiber 18 is not broken.

 Other effects are similar to those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 relates to a third embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a distal end portion of an endoscope.

This embodiment applies the present invention to an electronic endoscope.

A frame body 47 having a front opening 46 is provided as a radiation shielding means at the tip of the insertion portion 2. The opening 46 of the frame 47 is located at the tip of the insertion portion 2, and an objective lens system 48 as an image forming optical system is arranged in the opening 46. Further, behind the objective lens system 48, a right-angled prism 49 is provided so that the optical axis of the objective lens system 48 is bent substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the insertion section 2. On the right-angle prism 49, a solid-state image pickup device 51 for image as image transmission means is arranged on the bent optical axis.

The solid-state image sensor 51 outputs an output signal through the signal line 27 to the video signal processing circuit 28 described in the first embodiment.

Also, behind the right angle prism 49, the objective lens system 48
On the extension line of the optical axis of the light shield plate 52 and collimator 53 from the front.
And solid-state imaging device for radiation detection as radiation detection means
54 and are overlapped. The collimator 53 is formed of a radiation attenuating material in a plate shape, and has a radiation transmission hole 56 provided in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 2 at the central portion. This collimator 53
Is attached to the image pickup surface of the solid-state image pickup element 54, and the radiation incident on the solid-state image pickup element 54 is transmitted only through the transmission holes 56 to regulate the incident angle of the radiation to the solid-state image pickup element 54. . The light shielding plate 52 is provided so as to shield light so that light does not enter the radiation transmitting hole 56, and the solid-state imaging device 54 detects only radiation. This solid-state image sensor 54
The output signal is output to the radiation detection circuit 25 described in the first embodiment through the signal line 20.

Further, an emission end face of a light guide fiber 22 as an illumination optical system is provided on the tip end face of the insertion portion 2 so that the subject is irradiated with illumination light.

 Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, compared with the first and second embodiments, in addition to the aperture 46, the solid-state image pickup element 54 for radiation is further provided by the collimator 53.
Since the angle of incidence on the object is regulated, it is possible to measure the radiation in the substantially central portion of the subject image. Therefore, the range of the character displayed on the monitor may correspond to the radiation detection part 54 of the solid-state image sensor.

Also, instead of the image guide fiber, a solid-state image sensor
Since 51 is used, it is possible to obtain a high-resolution subject image. Further, since the signal line 27 is inserted into the insertion portion 2 instead of the image guide fiber, the outer diameter of the insertion portion 2 can be reduced.

 Other effects are similar to those of the first embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and for example, the radiation detection means is not limited to semiconductors and solid-state image pickup devices, and a scintillator detector that emits fluorescence upon incidence of radiation is provided. Radiation may be detected by conversion.

Further, the color image pickup system is not limited to the simultaneous type in which a color filter array is provided on the image pickup surface of the solid-state image pickup element, but may be a frame sequential type in which illumination light is sequentially switched to R, G, B and the like.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the radiation detecting means is provided in the frame made of the radiation attenuating material and the incident angle of the radiation incident on the radiation detecting means is regulated by the opening, There is an effect that the radiation source included in the observation site can be easily detected at the same time when the endoscopic image is observed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 relates to the first embodiment of the present invention, an explanatory view of the configuration of an endoscope, FIG. 2 relates to the second embodiment of the present invention, an explanatory view of the configuration of the distal end portion of the endoscope, and a third embodiment. The figure relates to the third embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a distal end portion of an endoscope. 1 …… Endoscope, 2 …… Insertion part 3 …… Operation part, 12 …… Video processing device 14 …… Frame, 16 …… Aperture 17 …… Imaging lens system 18 …… Image guide fiber 21 …… Semiconductor radiation detector 22 …… Light guide fiber 26 …… Solid-state image sensor

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Mutsumi Yoshikawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Eiichi Fuse 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Makoto Inaba 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaaki Hayashi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-60-68823 (JP, A) JP-A-61-124918 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image forming optical system, which is provided at a tip portion of an insertion part, for forming an image of a subject, image transmitting means for transmitting a subject image formed by the image forming optical system to an image display means, Radiation detecting means provided on the optical axis of the imaging optical system and behind the imaging optical system, and radiation shielding means provided around the radiation detecting means for shielding radiation. A radiation detection endoscope characterized by the above.