JP5419931B2 - Endoscope system, light source device, and operation method of endoscope system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an endoscope system, a light source device, and a method for operating an endoscope system for observing the inside of a subject.

  In recent medical treatments, diagnosis using an endoscope system is widely performed. For observation inside the subject using an endoscope system, in addition to normal light observation using broadband white light as illumination light, highlighting of blood vessels in the subject using narrowband light with a narrowed wavelength, etc. Special light observation is also being conducted.

  In addition, as described in Patent Document 1, functional information about blood vessels such as oxygen saturation and blood vessel depth of blood hemoglobin is extracted from an image signal using the light absorption characteristics of blood vessels and the scattering characteristics of biological tissues. It is also done to image it. In the endoscope system described in Patent Document 1, an image signal is acquired using light in a wavelength region in which absorbance changes depending on oxygen saturation, such as a near infrared region or a green region, in an absorption spectrum of blood hemoglobin. . Light in the near infrared region and green region is generated by color separation of white light with an optical filter. Then, oxygen saturation is calculated based on the acquired image signal, different colors are assigned according to the magnitude of oxygen saturation, and a pseudo-color oxygen saturation image is generated based on the assigned color. By using such an oxygen saturation image, for example, it becomes easy to find a cancer in which the oxygen saturation is specifically lowered, so that the diagnostic ability is improved.

Japanese Patent No. 2648494

  Among cancers that become hypoxic, undifferentiated early gastric cancer has a feature that the blood density (also referred to as blood volume) in the tumor region is lower than that of well-differentiated cancer. Therefore, in order to reliably discover such undifferentiated early gastric cancer, it is required to extract information on the blood volume from the image signal together with the oxygen saturation. In this regard, in Patent Document 1, since only oxygen saturation is obtained, it is difficult to find a lesion having characteristics in both oxygen saturation and blood volume, such as undifferentiated early gastric cancer. In addition, since the oxygen saturation is also affected by the blood volume, it is necessary to eliminate the influence of the blood volume in order to improve the measurement accuracy of the oxygen saturation. For this reason, both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume must be reduced. It is required to grasp.

  Furthermore, the oxygen saturation measuring method described in Patent Document 1 uses light in the near infrared region or green region. The depth of light from the surface of the mucosa has a wavelength dependency that the shorter the wavelength, the shallower the light, and the longer the wavelength, the deeper, the surface layer located on the surface of the mucosa for light in the near infrared region and green region. There is also a problem that information about blood vessels cannot be acquired well. In the diagnosis of lesions such as tumor benign discrimination, it is often important to understand the properties of the superficial blood vessels rather than the middle and deep layers, and it is required to grasp the properties of the superficial blood vessels in detail.

  However, in the absorption spectrum of hemoglobin, the absorbance in the blue region is steeper than that in the green or red region. Therefore, the absorbance changes greatly when the wavelength is slightly shifted. Therefore, when using light in the blue region, narrow band light having a narrow wavelength region is required as compared with the green region and red region. As in Patent Document 1, the method of separating white light with an optical filter has a concern that the amount of light is insufficient and high measurement accuracy cannot be obtained.

  On the other hand, since this technique for measuring oxygen saturation is useful in endoscopic diagnosis, in order to make it easier for users to use, the development cost and manufacturing cost in the practical stage of the endoscopic system. Reduction is required. For this reason, the viewpoint of effectively using the white light source mounted on the existing light source device as much as possible cannot be overlooked.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope system that can be obtained and observed with good measurement accuracy for both oxygen saturation and blood volume mainly related to surface blood vessels. The configuration of the light source device is provided in an easy-to-use form.

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope system according to the present invention includes an electronic endoscope having an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, and having an imaging element that images an observation site in the subject. A light source device that supplies imaging light to the electronic endoscope, a white light source that emits white light used as illumination light for obtaining a normal observation image of the observation site, and a narrow portion of a blue region A semiconductor light source having a wavelength range and emitting an oxygen saturation measurement light for measuring oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin in blood vessels existing in the observation site by irradiating the observation site, and the oxygen saturation In addition to the intensity measurement light, as the blood volume measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring the blood volume of the blood vessel, the red light included in the white light emitted by the white light source is emitted from the electronic endoscope. The light source device that supplies the mirror and the image sensor outputs A processor device that performs image processing based on an imaging signal, and outputs two first and second outputs from the imaging device that receives the oxygen saturation measurement light and the blood volume measurement light reflected by the observation site. A processor device comprising: a blood volume and oxygen saturation calculating means for obtaining the blood volume and the oxygen saturation based on an imaging signal; and an image generating means for imaging information on both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume. It is characterized by having.

The light source device uses at least part of the light included in the white light emitted from the white light source as reference light for obtaining a reference signal used for normalization of the first and second imaging signals. The blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation means are supplied to an electronic endoscope, and the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculating means 3 is a third imaging signal output from the imaging element corresponding to the first and second imaging signals and the reference light. It is preferable to calculate the blood volume and oxygen saturation based on two imaging signals.

  The light source device includes: a condensing lens that condenses the white light to make white light emitted from the white light source enter the electronic endoscope; and the light of the white light that travels from the white light source toward the condensing lens. It is preferable to have an optical confluence part arranged on the road and for joining the oxygen saturation measurement light emitted from the semiconductor light source to the optical path of the white light.

  It is preferable that the light merging portion includes a transmission portion that transmits the white light and a reflection portion that reflects the oxygen saturation measurement light toward the condenser lens.

  The light source device includes a shutter that is inserted in the optical path of the white light and is movable between an insertion position that shields the white light and a retraction position that is retracted from the optical path, and the blood volume and the In a mode of calculating oxygen saturation, the oxygen saturation measurement light is supplied to the electronic endoscope in a state where the white light is blocked by moving the shutter to the insertion position, and the shutter is moved to the retracted position. It is preferable that the blood volume measurement light is supplied to the electronic endoscope.

  The imaging device is a monochrome imaging device that outputs a monochrome imaging signal, and the light source device has transmission regions of three colors of blue, green, and red, or three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Each of the transmissive regions is selectively inserted into the optical path of the white light, and has a filter that separates the white light into three colors of light. In the normal observation mode for obtaining the normal observation image, the three colors It is preferable that the light is sequentially supplied to the electronic endoscope. In this case, it is preferable that the filter is provided with a light shielding portion that constitutes the shutter in addition to the transmission regions of the three colors.

  The image pickup device is a color image pickup device that has three colors of blue, green, and red, or three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and outputs image signals of three colors corresponding to the pixels of each color, The light source device is preferably a simultaneous type that supplies the white light to the electronic endoscope without color separation in the normal observation mode for capturing the normal observation image.

The blood volume and oxygen saturation calculating means includes a first signal ratio that is a ratio between the first imaging signal having a dependency on both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume, and a reference signal, and the blood volume. A signal ratio calculating means for obtaining a second signal ratio that is a ratio of the second imaging signal having dependency and a reference signal; and a second ratio of the oxygen saturation, the first signal ratio, and the second signal ratio. 1 and a correlation storage unit that stores a second correlation between the blood volume and the second signal ratio, and the second signal ratio with reference to the second correlation. with obtaining the blood volume corresponding to, it is preferable to determine the oxygen saturation corresponding to the previous SL first signal ratio with reference to the first correlation.

  The oxygen saturation measurement light has, for example, a wavelength range of 470 nm ± 10 nm. The blood volume measurement light has a wavelength range of 590 nm to 700 nm, for example. The reference light has a wavelength range of 540 nm to 580 nm, for example.

  The image generation means uses the color table whose color tone changes according to the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculated by the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation means, and uses the color table to change the blood volume and oxygen saturation information. It is preferable to generate a pseudo color image reflecting the above.

  The processor device includes display control means for outputting an image generated by the image generation means to a monitor. The display control means includes a blood volume image obtained by imaging the blood volume information, and the oxygen saturation. It is preferable to output two images of the oxygen saturation image obtained by imaging the degree information simultaneously or selectively to the monitor.

The light source device of the present invention is used in an endoscope system including an electronic endoscope having an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, and having an imaging element that images an observation site in the subject. In a light source device that supplies imaging light to an endoscope, a white light source that emits white light used as illumination light for obtaining a normal observation image of the observation site, and a narrow wavelength range of a part of a blue region A semiconductor light source for emitting oxygen saturation measurement light for measuring oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin of blood vessels existing in the observation site by irradiating the observation site, and the oxygen saturation measurement light In addition, as a blood volume measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring the blood volume of the blood vessel, the red light included in the white light emitted from the white light source is supplied to the electronic endoscope. It is characterized by doing.

The operation method of the endoscope system according to the present invention includes an electronic endoscope having an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject and having an imaging element that images an observation site in the subject, and the electronic endoscope. the endoscope system having a light source device for supplying light for imaging, the oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin of the blood vessels that exist in the observation region, an endoscope system that calculates the blood volume of the vessel In the operation method , the light emitted from the semiconductor light source included in the light source device has a narrow wavelength region of a part of a blue region, and the oxygen saturation measurement light for measuring the oxygen saturation is the observation site. A first irradiation control step of controlling the light source device so as to irradiate the light source, and a first signal acquisition step of acquiring a first imaging signal output by the imaging device that has received the reflected light of the oxygen saturation measurement light; The white light source device has A second irradiation control step of controlling the light source device so that the blood volume measurement light for measuring the blood volume is irradiated on the observation site, which is light in a red region included in white light emitted from the light source. A second signal acquisition step of acquiring a second imaging signal output by the imaging device that has received the blood volume measurement light, and the blood volume and the oxygen saturation based on the first and second imaging signals. A calculation step for calculating the degree, and an image generation step for imaging both information on the oxygen saturation and the blood volume based on the calculation result of the calculation step.

  According to the present invention, an endoscope system capable of acquiring and observing both oxygen saturation and blood volume with good measurement accuracy mainly for a surface blood vessel is provided in a form in which the configuration of an existing light source device can be easily used. There is.

1 is an external view of an electronic endoscope system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of a scope front-end | tip part. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the electronic endoscope system of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of a rotary filter. 6 is a graph showing the spectral transmittance of a primary color filter and the light intensity distribution of white light BB and narrowband light N. It is explanatory drawing of an optical confluence | merging part. It is explanatory drawing of a shutter board. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the light source device in normal observation mode. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the light source device in functional information observation mode. (A) is an explanatory diagram for explaining the imaging operation of the imaging device in the normal observation mode, and (B) is an explanatory diagram for explaining the imaging operation of the imaging device in the function information observation mode. It is a block diagram of a functional image processing unit. It is a graph which shows the correlation of blood volume and signal ratio R / G. It is a graph which shows the correlation with oxygen saturation and signal ratio N / G, R / G. It is a graph which shows the extinction coefficient of hemoglobin. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the method of calculating | requiring oxygen saturation from a signal ratio in the graph of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the preparation procedure of a blood volume image and an oxygen saturation image. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a blood volume and a color difference signal. It is a graph which shows the relationship between oxygen saturation and a color difference signal. It is an image figure of the display apparatus which displays a blood volume image and an oxygen saturation image in parallel. It is an image figure of the display apparatus which displays any one of a blood volume image and an oxygen saturation image. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of an endoscope system. It is explanatory drawing of the rotary filter which has a shutter function of 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the rotary filter which has a shutter function different from FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the color image sensor of 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the light source device of 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the imaging operation of the image pick-up element in 3rd Embodiment. It is a graph which shows the spectral transmittance of the color filter of a complementary color system, and the light intensity distribution of the white light BB and the narrow-band light N.

[First Embodiment]
As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes an electronic endoscope 11 that images an observation site in a subject, and an observation site based on a signal obtained by imaging. A processor device 12 that generates an observation image, a light source device 13 that supplies light for irradiating the observation site, and a monitor 14 that displays the observation image are provided. The processor device 12 is provided with a console 15 that is an operation input unit such as a keyboard and a mouse.

  The electronic endoscope system 10 has two operation modes: a normal observation mode in which an observation site is observed under white light, and a function information observation mode. The function information observation mode is a mode in which special light is used to acquire oxygen saturation and blood volume, which are biological function information related to blood vessels existing at the observation site, and image these for observation.

  The electronic endoscope 11 includes a flexible insertion portion 16 to be inserted into a subject, an operation portion 17 provided at a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 16, an operation portion 17, a processor device 12, and a light source device 13. And a universal cord 18 for connecting the two.

  The insertion portion 16 includes a distal end portion 19, a bending portion 20, and a flexible tube portion 21 that are continuously provided from the distal end. As shown in FIG. 2, on the distal end surface of the distal end portion 19, the illumination window 22 that irradiates the observation site with illumination light, the observation window 23 that receives the image light reflected by the observation site, and the observation window 23 are washed. An air supply / water supply nozzle 24 for performing air supply / water supply, a forceps outlet 25 for projecting a treatment tool such as a forceps and an electric knife, and the like are provided. An imaging element 44 (see FIG. 2) and an imaging optical system are built in the back of the observation window 23.

  The bending portion 20 includes a plurality of connected bending pieces, and is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions by operating the angle knob 26 of the operation portion 17. By bending the bending portion 20, the direction of the distal end portion 19 is directed in a desired direction. The flexible tube portion 21 is flexible so that it can be inserted into a tortuous duct such as the esophagus or the intestine. The insertion unit 16 includes a communication cable that communicates a drive signal for driving the image sensor 44 and an image signal output by the image sensor 44, and a light guide 43 that guides illumination light supplied from the light source device 13 to the illumination window 22. (See FIG. 2) is inserted.

  In addition to the amble knob 26, the operation unit 17 includes a forceps port 27 for inserting a treatment instrument, an air / water supply button for performing air / water supply operation, a release button for taking a still image, and the like. .

  A communication cable and a light guide 43 extending from the insertion portion 16 are inserted into the universal cord 18, and a connector 28 is attached to one end of the processor unit 12 and the light source device 13. The connector 28 is a composite type connector including a communication connector and a light source connector, and one end of a communication cable is disposed on the communication connector, and one end of the light guide 43 is disposed on the light source connector. The electronic endoscope 11 is detachably connected to the processor device 12 and the light source device 13 through the connector 28.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the light source device 13 includes a white light source 30, a semiconductor light source unit 31, and a light source control unit 32 that drives and controls them. The light source control unit 32 controls the drive start and end of each unit of the light source device 13, the drive timing, the synchronization timing, and the like.

  The white light source 30 generates broadband white light BB having a continuous emission spectrum in a wide wavelength range from a red region to a blue region (about 400 to 700 nm), such as a xenon lamp, a halogen lamp, or a metal halide lamp. The white light source 30 is the same as that mounted on many existing light source devices, and components from the existing light source device can be used.

  The white light source 30 includes a lamp 30a that emits white light BB and a reflector 30b that reflects the wide white light BB emitted by the lamp 30a in the emission direction. Since a white light source such as a xenon lamp or a halogen lamp takes time from the start of lighting until the amount of light is stabilized, the white light source 30 starts to be turned on when the light source device 13 is turned on, and the electronic endoscope 11 Lights up constantly during use. A diaphragm 33 is disposed on the optical path of the white light source 30, and the light amount control of the white light source 30 is performed by adjusting the opening of the diaphragm 33.

  A rotary filter 34 is disposed in the optical path of the white light BB emitted from the white light source 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary filter 34 has a disk shape, and transmits B, G, and R light into fan-shaped regions that are divided into three in the circumferential direction and have a central angle of 120 °. Three color filters of B filter part 34a, G filter part 34b, and R filter part 34c are provided.

  The rotary filter 34 is rotatably provided so that the B filter part 34a, the G filter part 34b, and the R filter part 34c are selectively inserted into the optical path of the white light BB. The motor 34 d is a drive source for rotating the rotary filter 34. When the rotary filter 34 rotates, the color filter part 34a, the G filter part 34b, and the R filter part 34c are sequentially inserted into the optical path of the white light BB.

  The B filter unit 34a, the G filter unit 34b, and the R filter unit 34c each have the spectral transmittance shown in FIG. 5, and the white light BB passes through the filter units 34a to 34c, so that B, G, Separated into R colors, B color light, G color light, and R color light are generated. In the normal observation mode in which the observation site is observed under white light, the light source device 13 generates the light from the white light source 30 by sequentially separating the light of the three colors B, G, and R with the rotary filter 34. This is a so-called frame sequential method in which the three colors of light are sequentially supplied to the electronic endoscope 11.

  The imaging device 44 (see FIG. 3) of the electronic endoscope 11 is a monochrome imaging device in which a micro color filter is not provided on the imaging surface, and an imaging signal of a color corresponding to light sequentially supplied from the light source device 13. Is output. The rotational speed of the rotary filter 34 and the sizes of the filter units 34a, 34b, and 34c are determined according to a frame rate that defines an interval for outputting an image signal for one screen of the image sensor 44.

  In the optical path of the white light BB, a diaphragm 33, a condenser lens 36, and a rod integrator 37 are disposed on the downstream side of the rotary filter 34. The diaphragm 33 includes a light shielding plate that shields light and an actuator (not shown) that displaces the light shielding plate, and controls the amount of light by shielding part of the optical path of the white light BB with the light shielding plate. The light source control unit 32 receives the imaging signal output from the imaging device 44 from the processor device 12, obtains the exposure amount on the imaging surface of the imaging device 44 from the imaging signal, and determines the aperture amount of the aperture 33. The diaphragm 33 controls the amount of light by adjusting the diaphragm diameter and the amount of insertion into the optical path in accordance with the determined diaphragm amount.

  The condensing lens 36 condenses the light that has passed through the diaphragm 33 and makes it incident on the rod integrator 37. The rod integrator 37 makes the in-plane light quantity distribution uniform by internally reflecting the incident light, and makes the light incident on the incident end face of the light guide 43 of the electronic endoscope 11 connected to the light source device 13.

  The semiconductor light source unit 31 is a special light source that emits special light in the function information observation mode, and includes a laser light source 31a including a laser diode and a collimator lens 31b. The laser light source 31a emits blue narrowband light (hereinafter simply referred to as narrowband light) N in a narrow wavelength region of a part of the blue region as oxygen saturation measurement light for measuring oxygen saturation. As shown in FIG. 5, the wavelength band of the narrow band light N is a narrow band in which the wavelength band is limited to 470 ± 10 nm, preferably 473 nm. As the laser light source 31a, a broad area type InGaN-based, InGaNAs-based, or GaNAs-based laser diode can be used. The semiconductor light source unit 31 controls the turning on / off of the laser light source 31 a and the amount of light under the control of the light source control unit 32.

  Narrow band light N emitted from the laser light source 31a enters the collimator lens 31b. The collimator lens 31b converts the narrow-band light N into a parallel light beam and shapes the size and shape of the light beam.

  In the optical path of the white light BB, between the rotary filter 34 and the diaphragm 33, an optical confluence unit 39 is provided that combines the narrowband light N generated by the semiconductor light source unit 31 with the optical path of the white light BB. The outgoing optical axis NA of the narrow-band light N immediately after being emitted from the semiconductor light source unit 31 is orthogonal to the optical axis BA of the white light BB, and the optical confluence unit 39 bends the outgoing optical axis NA by 90 ° to narrow it. The optical path of the band light N is merged with the optical path of the white light BB.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the light converging portion 39 is a flat plate member that is transparent to the white light BB, and a reflection member that reflects the narrowband light N is provided at the central portion of one side of the flat plate member. Of the member, a portion where the reflecting member is not provided constitutes the transmitting portion 39a, and a portion where the reflecting member is provided constitutes the reflecting portion 39b. The reflecting portion 39b is formed by a dichroic mirror that reflects only the narrowband light N and transmits the other white light BB.

  The light converging part 39 is disposed so that the center of the reflecting part 39b and the optical axis BA of the white light BB coincide with each other and inclined by 45 ° toward the traveling direction of the white light BB. Because of this inclination, the light converging portion 39 is disposed so as to cross the light beam of the white light BB obliquely, and therefore its planar shape is elliptical to match the shape of the cut surface when the light beam is cut obliquely. I am doing.

  The light beam of the narrowband light N is shaped into the size and shape of the reflecting portion 39b by the collimator lens 31b. Since the optical converging part 39 is arranged to be inclined by 45 ° with respect to the outgoing optical axis NA of the narrowband light N, the shape of the reflecting part 39b is also elliptical according to the inclination.

  Since the reflection part 39b does not transmit the wavelength component corresponding to the narrow band light N in the white light BB, the light quantity distribution of the B-color light that passes through the B filter part 34a of the rotary filter 34 and passes through the optical merge part 39 is It will be uneven. However, since the light quantity distribution is made uniform inside the rod integrator 37, the light quantity unevenness of the B color light supplied to the electronic endoscope 11 is reduced.

  In FIG. 2, a shutter plate 40 is disposed between the white light source 30 and the rotary filter 34. The shutter plate 40 shields the white light BB when supplying the narrowband light N to the electronic endoscope 11.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the shutter plate 40 is made of a member having a light shielding property against the white light BB, and the planar shape is a shape obtained by cutting out a part of a circle. Specifically, the shutter plate 40 has a light shielding portion 40a having a central angle of 120 °, and the remaining 240 ° portion is cut out to form a transmission portion 40b that transmits white light BB. . The shutter plate 40 is rotatably provided, and the light shielding portions 40a and the transmission portions 40b are alternately and selectively inserted into the optical path of the white light BB by the rotation. The motor 40c (see FIG. 3) is a drive source for the shutter plate 40, and is controlled by the light source controller 32.

  The shutter plate 40 has substantially the same radius as the rotary filter 34, and the rotation axis coincides. The central angle of the light shielding portion 40a of the shutter plate 40 substantially coincides with the central angle of the B filter portion 34a of the rotary filter 34. The central angle of the transmission part 40b substantially coincides with the total central angle of the G filter part 34b and the R filter part 34c. In this example, the transmissive portion 40b is formed by cutting out, but the transmissive portion 40b may be formed of a transparent plate that transmits the white light BB.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the normal observation mode, the shutter plate 40 is stopped in a state where the light shielding portion 40a is retracted from the optical path of the white light BB and the transmission portion 40b is inserted in the optical path. Since the white light source 30 is always turned on, the white light BB passes through the transmission part 40b when the transmission part 40b enters the optical path of the white light BB. In the normal observation mode, the white light BB is always transmitted through the transmission part 40b and enters the rotary filter 34. Then, three colors of light of B color, G color, and R color are sequentially generated according to the type of each of the B, G, and R filter portions 34a, 34b, and 34c inserted in the optical path of the white light BB. The

  In the function information observation mode, in addition to the narrow-band light N, three types of light of G color light and R color light separated from the white light BB are used. As shown in FIG. 9, in the function information observation mode, the shutter plate 40 rotates at the same speed as the rotary filter 34 so that the rotation phases of the light shielding unit 40a and the B filter unit 34a coincide. While the light shielding part 40a is inserted into the optical path of the white light BB and the transmission part 40b is retracted from the optical path, the white light BB is shielded. While the white light BB is blocked, the laser light source 31a is turned on, and the narrowband light N is supplied to the electronic endoscope 11. Since the imaging element 44 is a monochrome imaging element, the provision of the shutter plate 40 prevents color mixing of the narrowband light N and the white light BB. In addition, while the transmission part 40b is inserted in the optical path of the white light BB and the light shielding part 40a is retracted from the optical path, the white light BB is sequentially transmitted through the G filter part 34b and the R filter part 34c to obtain G color light. And R color light is generated. The G color light and the R color light are sequentially supplied to the electronic endoscope 11 through the condenser lens 36 and the rod integrator 37. The electronic endoscope 11 outputs imaging signals corresponding to three types of light from the imaging element 44.

  In FIG. 2, the electronic endoscope 11 includes a light guide 43, an imaging device 44, an analog processing circuit 45 (AFE: Analog Front End), and an imaging control unit 46. The light guide 43 is a large-diameter optical fiber, a bundle fiber, or the like. When the connector 28 on which the incident end of the light guide 43 is disposed is connected to the light source device 13, the incident end is emitted from the rod integrator 37 of the light source device 13. Opposite the edge.

  An irradiation lens 48 for adjusting the light distribution angle of the illumination light is disposed in the back of the illumination window 22 provided at the distal end portion 19 of the electronic endoscope 11. The light supplied from the light source device 13 is guided to the irradiation lens 48 by the light guide 43 and irradiated from the illumination window 22 toward the observation site. In the back of the observation window 23, an objective optical system 51 and an image sensor 44 are arranged. The image light reflected by the observation site enters the objective optical system 51 through the observation window 23 and is imaged on the imaging surface 44 a of the imaging element 44 by the objective optical system 51.

  The imaging element 44 is composed of a CCD image sensor, a CMOS image sensor, or the like, and has an imaging surface 44a in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements constituting pixels such as photodiodes are arranged in a matrix. The image sensor 44 photoelectrically converts the light received by the imaging surface 44a and accumulates signal charges corresponding to the amount of received light in each pixel. The signal charge is converted into a voltage signal by an amplifier and read out. The voltage signal is output from the image sensor 44 as an image signal. The imaging signal is sent to the AFE 45. As described above, the imaging device 44 is a monochrome imaging device in which the micro color filter is not provided on the imaging surface 44a.

  In the normal observation mode, the image pickup device 44 outputs image pickup signals B, G, and R corresponding to B, G, and R colors that enter sequentially. In the function information observation mode, narrowband light N, G color light, and R color light are sequentially incident on the image sensor 44, and the image sensor 44 sequentially outputs image signals N, G, and R corresponding to the respective colors.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the image sensor 44 performs an accumulation operation for accumulating signal charges and a read operation for reading the accumulated signal charges within an acquisition period of one frame. In the normal observation mode, image light of three colors B, G, and R is sequentially captured for each frame, and imaging signals B, G, and R are sequentially output. Such an operation is repeated while the normal observation mode is set.

  In the functional information observation mode, as shown in FIG. 10 (B), the image light of the three light beams of the narrowband light N, G color light, and R color light is sequentially captured for each frame, and the imaging signals N, G, R is sequentially output. Such an operation is repeated while the function information observation mode is set.

  In FIG. 2, the AFE 45 includes a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS), an automatic gain control circuit (AGC), and an analog / digital converter (A / D) (all not shown). The CDS performs correlated double sampling processing on the image signal from the image sensor 44 to remove noise caused by signal charge reset. The AGC amplifies the imaging signal from which noise has been removed by CDS. The A / D converts the imaging signal amplified by AGC into a digital imaging signal having a gradation value corresponding to a predetermined number of bits and inputs the digital imaging signal to the processor device 12.

  The imaging control unit 46 is connected to a controller 56 in the processor device 12 and inputs a drive signal to the imaging element 44 in synchronization with a base clock signal input from the controller 56. The imaging element 44 outputs an imaging signal to the AFE 45 at a predetermined frame rate based on the drive signal from the imaging control unit 46.

  In addition to the controller 56, the processor device 12 includes an image processing unit 57, a storage unit 58, and a display control circuit 59. The controller 56 controls each unit. The image processing unit 57 performs image correction such as gamma correction on the imaging signal output from the electronic endoscope 11 to create image data. The storage unit 58 stores the image data created by the image processing unit 57.

  In the normal observation mode, the image processing unit 57 generates a normal observation image based on the three-color image data B, G, and R corresponding to the image signals B, G, and R that are sequentially input. Each time the imaging signals B, G, and R are updated according to the frame rate, a normal observation image is generated. The display control circuit 59 converts the image generated by the image processing unit 57 into a video signal such as a composite signal or a component signal and outputs the video signal to the monitor 14.

  The image processing unit 57 is provided with a functional image processing unit 60. In the function information observation mode, the function image processing unit 60 obtains blood volume and oxygen saturation information of blood hemoglobin based on the three image data N, G, and R corresponding to the imaging signals N, G, and R. In addition to the calculation, a blood volume image in which the calculated blood volume is converted into a pseudo color image and an oxygen saturation image in which the oxygen saturation is converted into a pseudo color image are generated.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the functional image processing unit 60 includes a signal ratio calculation unit 64, a correlation storage unit 65, a blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation unit 66, a blood volume image generation unit 67, and an oxygen saturation level. And an image generation unit 68.

  The signal ratio calculation unit 64 compares the image data N, G, and R acquired in the function information observation mode, and calculates a signal ratio that is a ratio of pixel values (signal values) between pixels at the same position. . The signal ratio is calculated for all the pixels of the image data for one screen. In the present embodiment, the signal ratio calculation unit 64 obtains a signal ratio N / G between the image data N and the image data G and a signal ratio R / G between the image data G and the image data R. The image data G is used as a reference signal indicating the brightness level of the observation region in order to normalize the image data N and the image data R. Note that the signal ratio may be obtained only for the pixels of the blood vessel portion in the image data. In this case, the blood vessel part is specified based on, for example, the difference between the image value of the blood vessel part and the image value of the other part.

  The correlation storage unit 65 stores a correlation between the signal ratios N / G and R / G, blood volume, and oxygen saturation. As shown in FIG. 12, the correlation between the signal ratio and the blood volume is stored in a one-dimensional table defined so that the blood volume increases as the signal ratio R / G increases. The signal ratio R / G is stored on a log scale.

  On the other hand, the correlation between the signal ratio and the oxygen saturation is stored in a two-dimensional table in which contour lines of the oxygen saturation are defined on the two-dimensional space shown in FIG. The positions and shapes of the contour lines are obtained by a physical simulation of light scattering, and are defined so as to change according to the blood volume. For example, when there is a change in blood volume, the interval between the contour lines becomes wider or narrower. The signal ratios N / G and R / G are stored on a log scale.

  The correlation is closely related to the light absorption characteristics and light scattering characteristics of oxyhemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin as shown in FIG. In FIG. 14, a graph 70 indicates an extinction coefficient of oxyhemoglobin, and a graph 71 indicates an extinction coefficient of reduced hemoglobin. As shown in FIG. 14, for example, at a wavelength with a large difference in extinction coefficient, such as 473 nm, which is the wavelength range of the narrowband light N, it is easy to obtain oxygen saturation information. However, the signal obtained by irradiating the observation site with 473 nm light is highly dependent not only on the oxygen saturation but also on the blood volume.

The following two things can be said from the wavelength dependence of the extinction coefficient of blood hemoglobin shown in FIG.
In the vicinity of a wavelength of 470 nm (for example, a blue wavelength region having a central wavelength of 470 nm ± 10 nm), the extinction coefficient changes greatly according to the change in oxygen saturation.
-In the red wavelength range of 590 to 700 nm, the extinction coefficient seems to change greatly depending on the oxygen saturation, but since the extinction coefficient itself is very small, it is hardly affected by the oxygen saturation as a result.

  Based on these findings, in the functional information observation mode of the present invention, image data N corresponding to the narrowband light N is acquired using the narrowband light N in the blue region as the oxygen saturation measurement light, and mainly the blood volume The image data R corresponding to the R color light is acquired using the R color light that changes depending on the color as the blood volume measurement light. Then, the influence of the blood volume was removed by using the two signal ratios of the signal ratio N / G indicating dependency on both oxygen saturation and blood volume and the signal ratio R / G indicating dependency only on blood volume. Obtains oxygen saturation accurately.

The blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation unit 66 uses the correlation stored in the correlation storage unit 65 and the signal ratios N / G and R / G obtained by the signal ratio calculation unit 64 to calculate the blood volume in each pixel. And both oxygen saturation. Regarding the blood volume, the value corresponding to the signal ratio R / G obtained by the signal ratio calculator in the one-dimensional table of the correlation storage unit 65 is the blood volume. On the other hand, for oxygen saturation, first, as shown in FIG. 15, the corresponding points P corresponding to the signal ratios B ^* / G ^* and R ^* / G ^* obtained by the signal ratio calculation unit 64 in the two-dimensional space are specified. To do.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 15, when the corresponding point P is between the oxygen saturation = 0% lower limit line 73 and the oxygen saturation = 100% upper limit line 74, the contour line where the corresponding point P is located. The percentage value indicated by is the oxygen saturation. For example, in the case of FIG. 15, the contour line where the corresponding point P is located indicates 60%, and this 60% is the oxygen saturation. When the corresponding point is out of the range between the lower limit line 73 and the upper limit line 74, the oxygen saturation is set to 0% when the corresponding point is located above the lower limit line 73, and the corresponding point is the upper limit line 74. When the position is lower than that, the oxygen saturation is set to 100%. If the corresponding point is out of the range between the lower limit line 73 and the upper limit line 74, the reliability of the oxygen saturation in the pixel may be lowered and not displayed.

  The blood volume image generation unit 67 generates a blood volume image that represents the blood volume obtained by the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation unit 66 in a pseudo color. The blood volume image is generated based on the image data N and the calculated blood volume.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the video signal output to the monitor 14 is composed of a luminance signal Y and color difference signals Cb and Cr. The blood volume image is generated by assigning the image data G and the calculated blood volume to the luminance signal Y and the color difference signals Cb and Cr, respectively. Image data G is assigned to the luminance signal Y. Since the image data G corresponds to reflected light in a wavelength range where absorption by hemoglobin is slightly strong, the unevenness of the mucous membrane and blood vessels can be visually recognized from the image based on this. Therefore, by assigning the image data G to the luminance signal, the overall brightness of the pseudo color image can be defined.

  On the other hand, the color difference signals Cb and Cr are assigned signal values according to the blood volume according to the color table 67a. As shown in FIG. 17, the color table 67a is defined such that the color difference signal Cb is defined such that the signal value decreases as the blood volume increases, and the color difference signal Cr is defined such that the signal value increases as the blood volume increases. Has been. Therefore, in the blood volume image, the redness increases when the blood volume is large, and the saturation of the redness decreases as the blood volume decreases and approaches to monochrome.

  The oxygen saturation image generation unit 68 generates an oxygen saturation image that represents the oxygen saturation obtained by the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation unit 66 in a pseudo color. As shown in FIG. 16, the oxygen saturation image is generated by assigning the image data G and the calculated oxygen saturation to the luminance signal Y and the color difference signals Cb and Cr, similarly to the blood volume image. Image data G is assigned to the luminance signal Y. The color difference signals Cb and Cr are assigned signal values according to the oxygen saturation according to the color table 68a.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the color table 68a is defined so that the signal value of the color difference signal Cr is positive and the signal value of the color difference signal Cb is negative under high oxygen saturation, and the opposite is true under low oxygen saturation. Are defined such that the signal value of the color difference signal Cr is negative and the signal value of the color difference signal Cb is positive. Then, it is defined so that the magnitude relationship between the signal value of the color difference signal Cr and the signal value of the color difference signal Cb is reversed under the middle oxygen saturation. Accordingly, the color saturation of the oxygen saturation image changes from blue → light blue → green → yellow → orange → red as the oxygen saturation goes from lower to higher.

  The blood volume image and the oxygen saturation image generated as described above are displayed on the monitor 14. As a display method, as shown in FIG. 19, the oxygen saturation image and the blood volume image may be reduced, and the reduced images may be simultaneously displayed in parallel. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 20, the user operates the image selection means provided on the console 15 to select either the oxygen saturation image or the blood volume image, and the selected image is displayed on the monitor 14. You may make it display. Since endoscopic diagnosis can be performed using both blood volume images and oxygen saturation images in this way, it is possible to diagnose lesions such as undifferentiated early gastric cancer that are characterized by both oxygen saturation and blood volume. Performance can be improved.

  Next, the effect | action by the said structure is demonstrated using the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the endoscope system 10 is activated in the normal observation mode, the white light source 30 starts to be turned on, and the rotary filter 34 starts to rotate. In the normal observation mode, as shown in FIG. 8, the shutter plate 40 does not rotate, but the light shielding unit 40a is retracted from the optical path of the white light BB, and is stopped with the transmission unit 40b being inserted. As a result, the white light BB is sequentially incident on each of the filter portions 34a to 34c of the rotary filter 34, and the white light BB is color-separated to sequentially generate three colors of light of B, G, and R.

  The three colors of light are supplied from the light source device 13 to the electronic endoscope 11 and irradiated from the illumination window 22 onto the observation site. The three-color image light reflected from the observation site is picked up by the image pickup device 44 through the observation window 23, and the image pickup device 44 sequentially outputs the image pickup signals B, G, and R. The image processing unit 57 generates a normal observation image based on the image data B, G, R corresponding to the imaging signals B, G, R. The generated normal observation image is stored in the storage unit 58. The display control circuit 59 converts the normal observation image into a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 14. As a result, the normal observation image is displayed on the monitor 14. In the normal observation mode, such processing is repeated, and the normal observation image displayed on the monitor 14 is updated.

  When an instruction to switch from the normal observation mode to the function information observation mode is input by operating the console 15, the function information observation mode is switched. When switched to the function information observation mode, the shutter plate 40 starts rotating at the same speed as that of the rotary filter 34 in a state where the light shielding portion 40a is in phase with the B filter portion 34a of the rotary filter 34.

  The light source control unit 32 turns on the laser light source 31a while the light shielding unit 40a of the shutter plate 40 is inserted in the optical path of the white light BB. The narrow-band light N emitted from the laser light source 31a is supplied to the electronic endoscope 11 and sequentially irradiated from the illumination window 22 to the observation site. The image light of the narrowband light N enters the image sensor 44 through the observation window 23, and the image sensor 44 outputs an image signal N corresponding to the narrowband light N.

  The light source control unit 32 turns off the laser light source 31a while the transmission unit 40b of the shutter plate 40 is inserted in the optical path of the white light BB. While the transmission part 40b is inserted in the optical path, the white light BB is sequentially incident on the G filter part 34b and the R filter part 34c of the rotary filter 34 to generate G color light and R color light. The G color light and the R color light are supplied to the electronic endoscope 11 and sequentially irradiated to the observation site. The image light of G color light and R color light sequentially enters the image pickup device 44 through the observation window 23, and the image pickup device 44 outputs image pickup signals G and R corresponding to the G color light and the R color light.

  The functional image processing unit 60 calculates the blood volume and the oxygen saturation based on the image data N, G, and R corresponding to the imaging signals N, G, and R according to the procedure described in FIG. The functional image processing unit 60 generates a blood volume image and an oxygen saturation image by the procedure described with reference to FIGS. The generated image is displayed on the monitor 14 in one of the display modes shown in FIGS. The above process is repeated until there is an instruction to switch to the normal observation mode. When an instruction to switch to the normal observation mode is input, the normal observation mode is restored. When there is an instruction to end the observation, the white light source 30, the laser light source 31a, the rotary filter 34, and the shutter plate 40 are stopped.

  In this example, in the function information observation mode, the example in which the normal observation image is not generated has been described. However, B, G, and R for obtaining the normal observation image during execution of the function information observation mode are described. The normal observation image, the blood volume image, and the oxygen saturation image may be generated by alternately performing irradiation and irradiation of narrowband light N, G, and R for performing functional observation. In this way, the normal observation image can be displayed even in the function information observation mode.

  As described above, in the present invention, by using the narrow-band light N in the blue region as the oxygen saturation measurement light and the R color light color-separated from the white light BB as the blood volume measurement light, blood volume and oxygen Both saturations are calculated. Thereby, it is possible to obtain an oxygen saturation with high accuracy that is not affected by the blood volume.

  In addition, as the blood volume measurement light and the reference light, the white light source 30 that is the configuration of the existing light source device is used, and R color light and G color light that are color-separated from the white light BB are used. Compared with the case where a dedicated light source is added to the measurement light and the reference light, the number of parts and the installation space can be reduced. Thereby, the structure of the existing light source device is easy to use, and the cost can be reduced.

  Further, since the laser light source 31a that emits a narrow-band light in the blue region is used as the oxygen saturation measurement light, the oxygen saturation of the surface blood vessel can be measured with high accuracy. As mentioned above, in the diagnosis of lesions such as tumor quality discrimination, it is often more important to understand the properties of the superficial blood vessels than the middle and deep layers, and an observation method that can grasp the details of the superficial blood vessels in detail is desired. ing.

  In the blue region, as is apparent from the absorption spectrum of hemoglobin shown in FIG. 10, the absorbance changes sharply compared to the green region and the red region, and the absorbance changes greatly when the wavelength is slightly shifted. Further, the interval between the isosbestic points where the magnitude relationship between the absorbances of the hemoglobins 70 and 71 is reversed is narrow. If the wavelength range is wide, signals in two areas where the magnitude relationship is reversed are mixed and the luminance values are averaged, so that highly accurate information cannot be obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain the blood vessel information of the superficial blood vessel using the light in the blue region, a wavelength region having a width close to the interval between the two isosbestic points, preferably a wavelength region within the interval between the two isosbestic points is selected. It is necessary to use narrow narrow band light.

  Furthermore, since the superficial blood vessel is thinner than the middle-deep blood vessel, the amount of light to be irradiated tends to be insufficient, and a light source having a large light amount is required when observing the superficial blood vessel.

  Thus, in order to increase the measurement accuracy of the oxygen saturation of the superficial blood vessel, a light source that emits a narrow band light in the blue region and a high amount of light is suitable. In the present invention, the measurement accuracy of the oxygen saturation of the surface blood vessel can be obtained by employing the laser light source 31a which can obtain a higher light amount than the case where color separation is performed from the white light BB and which can emit the monochromatic narrowband light N. Has improved.

  The reference light is used as a reference signal for standardizing signals corresponding to the narrowband light N and R color light in the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation processing. Therefore, it is only necessary to know the brightness level of the observation region, and it is not necessary to use narrow-band light. Since the wavelength range can be made relatively wide, there is no problem in terms of the amount of light even if G color light color-separated from the white light BB is used. In the above embodiment, an example is described in which G color light is used as reference light. However, since the brightness level of the reference light only needs to be known, the B filter units 34a and R can be used instead of the G color light. B color light or R color light obtained by color separation of the white light BB by the filter unit 34c may be used, or the white light BB itself may be used without color separation of the white light BB.

  However, since the blue narrow-band light N and R color light are used as the oxygen saturation measurement light and the blood volume measurement light, the three-color filter portions of B, G, and R are provided like the rotary filter 34. Considering a general configuration, it is preferable to use G color light as reference light. Further, since the image data G corresponding to the G color light is assigned to the luminance signal Y when the blood volume image or the oxygen saturation image is generated, the image data G is used as the reference light from the viewpoint of such image processing. Is preferred.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in this example, a filter having a spectral transmittance of about 450 nm to about 620 nm is used as the G filter section 34b. However, the measurement accuracy of oxygen saturation is improved. In order to further increase, it is preferable to limit the spectral transmittance of the G filter portion 34b to a wavelength range of 540 nm to 580 nm. Considering the light absorption characteristics of hemoglobin shown in FIG. 14, in the green region, averaging in the wavelength range of 540 to 580 nm is the least affected by oxygen saturation.

  In this example, as the narrowband light N, a narrowband light having a wavelength range of 470 ± 10 nm, preferably 473 nm is used, but a narrowband light having a wavelength range of 440 ± 10 nm, preferably 445 nm, etc. Any other wavelength region may be used as long as the light has a wavelength region with a difference in absorbance between the hemoglobins 70 and 71.

  In the above-described embodiment, the narrowband light N of the semiconductor light source unit 31 is joined to the optical path of the white light BB from the white light source 30 toward the condenser lens 36 by the light joining unit 39. The configuration in which the white light source 30, the rotary filter 34, and the condenser lens 36 are provided is a standard configuration in existing light source devices. With the configuration as in the above embodiment, the optical path of the white light BB is not significantly changed, and it is only necessary to add the light merging portion 39 and the shutter plate 40, so that it can be easily incorporated into an existing light source device.

  In addition, since the optical confluence unit 39 includes the transmission unit 39a that transmits white light and the reflection unit 39b that reflects the narrowband light N, the configuration can be prevented from becoming complicated. This is because when the optical confluence portion 39 is configured only by the reflection portion 39b, the optical confluence portion 39 is retracted from the optical path in the normal observation mode, and is inserted into the optical path in the functional information observation mode. A moving mechanism for moving the junction 39 is required. If the light converging part 39 is provided with the transmission part 39a, it is not necessary to provide a moving mechanism. Therefore, the configuration added to the existing light source apparatus can be simplified, and the existing light source apparatus can be easily used.

  In addition, since the reflection part 39b does not transmit the light in the wavelength band of the narrowband light N included in the white light BB, when the size of the reflection part 39b is large, the light amount is reduced to a degree that cannot be ignored in the wavelength band. There is also a concern that invites. In that case, in the normal observation mode, the laser light source 31a may be turned on when irradiating the B color light, and the amount of light cut by the reflecting portion 39b may be compensated.

  Further, the shutter plate 40 is constituted by a rotating plate, and the light shielding portion 40a is inserted into and retracted from the optical path by a rotating operation. For example, the shutter plate 40 is moved linearly to perform insertion and withdrawal. Also good. However, according to the configuration in which the shutter plate 40 is rotated as in this example, the configuration can be simplified as compared with the case where the shutter plate 40 is moved linearly because a link mechanism for linear movement is unnecessary.

[Second Embodiment]
In the above embodiment, the example in which the rotary filter 34 and the shutter plate 40 are provided separately has been described. However, as shown in FIG. 22, a rotary filter 91 having a function of a shutter plate may be used. The rotary filter 91 is composed of a double circle divided into two regions of an inner peripheral region and an outer peripheral region in the B filter portion and the G filter portion. The inner peripheral area is the B, G1, and R filter sections used in the normal observation mode, and the outer peripheral area is the light shielding section and the G2 and R filter sections used in the functional information observation mode. . The light shielding portion in the outer peripheral region functions as the shutter plate 40 of the above embodiment.

  The moving mechanism 92 selectively inserts the inner peripheral region and the outer peripheral region into the optical path of the white light BB by moving the rotation axis of the rotary filter 91. If such a rotary filter 91 is used, it is not necessary to provide the rotary filter 34 and the shutter plate 40 separately, so that the number of parts and the arrangement space can be reduced. If the double circle is configured, the filter part G1 is configured with a filter having a spectral transmittance of G shown in FIG. 5, and the filter part G2 has a wavelength range of 540 nm to 580 nm suitable for calculating oxygen saturation. The spectral transmittance of the G filter portion can be changed according to the mode, such as a filter having a spectral transmittance.

  Further, as in the rotary filter 93 shown in FIG. 18, the entire circumference is divided into four parts without dividing the inner peripheral area and the outer peripheral area, and each of the B, G, and R filter parts, the light shielding part, May be provided. The light shielding portion functions as the shutter plate 40. With such a configuration, the moving mechanism 92 is unnecessary. Further, when the rotary filter 93 is configured, when switching between the normal observation mode and the function information observation mode, the shutter plate is switched between rotation and stop as in the first embodiment, or as shown in FIG. Since it is not necessary to move the rotation axis unlike the rotary filter 91, it is easy to perform normal observation images and functional information observation in parallel.

[Third Embodiment]
In the above-described embodiment, a monochrome imaging device is used as the imaging device 44 of the electronic endoscope 11, and the light source device 13 is provided with a rotary filter that separates the white light BB into three colors of light of B, G, and R. Although described with a sequential example, the present invention may be applied to a simultaneous system using a color image sensor 100 as shown in FIG. 24 as the image sensor of the electronic endoscope 11. In the color imaging device 100, each pixel constituting the imaging surface is provided with any one of B, G, and R micro color filters, and B, G, and R three-color pixels are configured in the imaging surface. The The three color pixels are arranged in, for example, the Bayer format.

  As shown in FIG. 25, in the case of the simultaneous type, the light source device 13 does not need the rotary filter 34. Other configurations are the same as those of the frame sequential type shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 26 (A), in the normal observation mode, the shutter plate 40 stops in a state where the light shielding portion 40a is retracted from the optical path of the white light BB, and the simultaneous light source device 13 is an electronic endoscope. 11 is supplied with white light BB. The white light BB is emitted from the illumination window 22 to the observation site, and the reflected light is imaged by the color image sensor 100. The white light BB incident on the color image sensor 100 is color-separated by a micro color filter, and the color image sensor 100 receives an image signal including three color signals corresponding to pixels of B, G, and R colors. Output. The spectral transmittance of each of the B, G, and R micro color filters is the same as that of the rotary filter 34 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 26B, in the function information observation mode, the laser light source 31a is turned on while the shutter plate 40 is rotated and the white light BB is shielded by the light shielding portion 40a of the shutter plate 40. Turn on and irradiate the narrow band light N. As shown in FIG. 5, since the narrowband light N is light to which the B pixel is sensitive, an imaging signal corresponding to the B pixel is extracted as the imaging signal N.

  The white light BB is emitted while the light shielding portion 40a of the shutter plate 40 is retracted from the optical path of the white light BB. The functional image processing unit 60 extracts the imaging signal G corresponding to the G pixel and the imaging signal R corresponding to the R pixel from the imaging signal output from the color imaging element 100. Then, according to the procedure described in FIGS. 15 to 18, the blood volume and the oxygen saturation are calculated based on the image data N, G, R corresponding to the imaging signals N, G, R, and the blood volume is calculated based on the calculation result. An image and an oxygen saturation image are generated and displayed on the monitor 14.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, each filter unit of the rotary filter and the micro color filter of the color CCD have been described using an example of using B, G, R primary color filters, but the spectral transmittance shown in FIG. Complementary color filters of Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) may be used.

  In the above embodiment, when the blood volume image and the oxygen saturation image are generated, the information regarding the blood volume and the oxygen saturation is converted into a pseudo color image. Instead, the information regarding the blood volume and the oxygen saturation is generated. For example, the shading may be changed in black and white monochrome. In the oxygen saturation image, instead of or in addition to the form shown in the above embodiment, an oxygenated hemoglobin index determined from “blood volume (sum of oxidized hemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin) × oxygen saturation (%)” is displayed. And the image of the reduced hemoglobin index obtained from “blood volume × (100−oxygen saturation) (%)”.

  In the above embodiment, the laser light source including the laser diode is exemplified as the semiconductor light source, but an LED light source using an LED instead of the laser diode may be used. In the above embodiment, the example in which the light source device and the processor device are configured separately is described. However, the two devices may be configured integrally.

  Note that the present invention can also be applied to other types of endoscopes such as an ultrasonic endoscope in which an imaging element and an ultrasonic transducer are built in the distal end portion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic endoscope system 14 Monitor 30 White light source 31 Semiconductor light source unit 31a Laser light source 32 Light source control part 34 Rotary filter 36 Condensing lens 37 Rod integrator 39 Optical confluence part 39a Transmission part 39b Reflection part 40 Shutter board 40a Light shielding part 40b Transmission Unit 44 Image sensor 56 Image processing unit 60 Functional image processing unit 64 Signal ratio calculation unit 65 Correlation storage unit 66 Blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation unit 67 Blood volume image generation unit 67a Color table (for blood volume) 68 Oxygen saturation Degree image generator 68a (for oxygen saturation) color table

Claims (16)

An electronic endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject, and having an imaging element for imaging an observation site in the subject;
A light source device for supplying imaging light to the electronic endoscope;
A white light source that emits white light used for illumination light to obtain a normal observation image of the observation site;
A semiconductor light source having a narrow wavelength region of a part of a blue region and emitting oxygen saturation measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin in blood vessels present in the observation site; Have
In addition to the oxygen saturation measurement light, as a blood volume measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring the blood volume of the blood vessel, light in a red region included in the white light emitted from the white light source is used. A light source device for supplying to an electronic endoscope;
A processor device that performs image processing based on an imaging signal output by the imaging device;
Based on the two first and second imaging signals output by the imaging device that receives the oxygen saturation measurement light reflected by the observation site and the blood volume measurement light, the blood volume and the oxygen saturation are calculated. Means for calculating blood volume and oxygen saturation;
An endoscope system comprising: a processor device having an image generation unit that images both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume information. The light source device uses at least part of the light included in the white light emitted from the white light source as reference light for obtaining a reference signal used for normalization of the first and second imaging signals. To the electronic endoscope,
The blood volume and oxygen saturation calculating means is configured to calculate the blood based on three imaging signals of the first and second imaging signals and a third imaging signal output from the imaging element corresponding to the reference light. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the quantity and the oxygen saturation are calculated.   The light source device includes: a condensing lens that condenses the white light to make white light emitted from the white light source enter the electronic endoscope; and the light of the white light that travels from the white light source toward the condensing lens. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising: a light merging unit that is disposed on a road and merges the oxygen saturation measurement light emitted from the semiconductor light source with the optical path of the white light. system.   The said optical confluence | merging part has the permeation | transmission part which permeate | transmits the said white light, and the reflection part which reflects the said oxygen saturation measurement light toward the said condensing lens, The Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Endoscope system. The light source device has a shutter that is movable between an insertion position that is inserted into the optical path of the white light and shields the white light and a retreat position that is retracted from the optical path,
In the mode for calculating the blood volume and the oxygen saturation, the oxygen saturation measurement light is supplied to the electronic endoscope in a state where the shutter is moved to the insertion position and the white light is blocked. The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a shutter is moved to the retracted position, and the blood volume measurement light is supplied to the electronic endoscope. The imaging device is a monochrome imaging device that outputs a monochrome imaging signal;
The light source device has transmission regions of three colors of blue, green, and red, or yellow, magenta, and cyan, and selectively inserts the transmission regions of the three colors into the optical path of the white light, A filter for separating the white light into three colors;
The normal observation mode for obtaining the normal observation image is a surface sequential type in which the three colors of light are sequentially supplied to the electronic endoscope. Endoscopic system. The endoscope system according to claim 6, which refers to claim 5.
The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the filter is provided with a light shielding portion constituting the shutter in addition to the transmission regions of the three colors. The image sensor is a color image sensor that has pixels of three colors of blue, green, and red, or three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and outputs image signals of three colors corresponding to the pixels of each color,
The said light source device is a simultaneous type which supplies the said white light to the said electronic endoscope without color-separating in the normal observation mode which images the said normal observation image, Any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The endoscope system according to claim 1. In the endoscope system according to any one of claims 3 to 8, which refers to claim 2 or claim 2,
The blood volume and oxygen saturation calculating means are:
The first imaging signal that is dependent on both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume; a first signal ratio that is a ratio of the reference signal; and the second imaging signal that is dependent on the blood volume; Signal ratio calculating means for obtaining a second signal ratio which is a ratio of the reference signals;
A correlation storage unit that stores a first correlation between the oxygen saturation and the first signal ratio and the second signal ratio, and a second correlation between the blood volume and the second signal ratio; Have
With obtaining the blood volume corresponding to the second signal ratio by referring to the second correlation, wherein the determination of the oxygen saturation corresponding to the previous SL first signal ratio with reference to the first correlation Endoscope system.   The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen saturation measurement light has a wavelength range of 470 nm ± 10 nm.   The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the blood volume measurement light has a wavelength range of 590 nm to 700 nm. In the endoscope system according to any one of claims 3 to 11, which refers to claim 2 or claim 2,
The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the reference light has a wavelength range of 540 nm to 580 nm.   The image generation means uses the color table whose color tone changes according to the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculated by the blood volume and oxygen saturation calculation means, and uses the color table to change the blood volume and oxygen saturation information. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein a pseudo color image in which is reflected is generated. The processor device has display control means for outputting an image generated by the image generation means to a monitor,
The display control means outputs two images of a blood volume image obtained by imaging the blood volume information and an oxygen saturation image obtained by imaging the oxygen saturation information to the monitor simultaneously or selectively. The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: Used for an electronic endoscope system having an electronic endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject and having an imaging element for imaging an observation site in the subject, and for imaging in the electronic endoscope In the light source device that supplies the light of
A white light source that emits white light used for illumination light to obtain a normal observation image of the observation site;
A semiconductor light source having a narrow wavelength region of a part of a blue region and emitting oxygen saturation measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin in blood vessels present in the observation site; Have
In addition to the oxygen saturation measurement light, as a blood volume measurement light for irradiating the observation site and measuring the blood volume of the blood vessel, light in a red region included in the white light emitted from the white light source is used. A light source device that is supplied to an electronic endoscope. An electronic endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject and having an imaging element for imaging an observation site in the subject, and a light source device for supplying imaging light to the electronic endoscope In an endoscope system , an oxygen saturation level of blood hemoglobin in a blood vessel existing at the observation site, and an operation method of the endoscope system for calculating the blood volume in the blood vessel,
Light emitted from a semiconductor light source included in the light source device, which has a narrow wavelength region in a part of a blue region, and is irradiated with oxygen saturation measurement light for measuring the oxygen saturation. A first irradiation control step for controlling the light source device,
A first signal acquisition step of acquiring a first imaging signal output by the imaging device that receives the reflected light of the oxygen saturation measurement light;
The light source device is controlled so that the blood volume measurement light for measuring the blood volume is irradiated to the observation site, which is red light included in white light emitted from the white light source of the light source device A second irradiation control step,
A second signal acquisition step of acquiring a second imaging signal output by the imaging device that has received the blood volume measurement light;
A calculation step of calculating the blood volume and the oxygen saturation based on the first and second imaging signals;
An operation method of an endoscope system, comprising: an image generation step of imaging information on both the oxygen saturation and the blood volume based on a calculation result of the calculation step.

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