JP6255662B2 - Fundus photographing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fundus photographing apparatus for photographing a fundus and observing and examining the fundus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a fundus imaging apparatus that generates a fundus image by alternately projecting light of different wavelengths onto a subject's eye and acquiring reflected light or fluorescence generated on the fundus of the subject's eye (see Patent Document 1). . In such an apparatus, images are alternately photographed under different wavelength conditions, and the acquired fundus images of a plurality of wavelength conditions are combined and displayed on a monitor. In addition, a fundus imaging apparatus that can diagnose a moving image by injecting a contrast medium into a blood vessel of a subject and alternately repeating FAG fluorescence imaging and ICG fluorescence imaging is known (see Patent Document 2). Furthermore, a fundus imaging apparatus that captures natural fluorescence (spontaneous fluorescence) using excitation light and a filter without injecting a contrast medium into a blood vessel of a subject is known.

JP 2009-219644 A JP 2006-239196 A JP 2006-247076 A

  However, the apparatus of Patent Document 1 can display on the monitor an image taken under one wavelength condition or a composite image taken under a plurality of wavelength conditions. While alternately displaying these images on the monitor, it was necessary to pay attention to the same part of the photographed image and compare and make a diagnosis. This caused labor for the examiner. In the apparatuses of Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, it is necessary to perform diagnosis by alternately or side by side displaying an image obtained by each fluorescent photographing.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration.
(1) Using a first barrier filter, a first irradiation unit that irradiates excitation light including a first wavelength toward the eye to be examined and a first autofluorescence image based on the irradiation of the first wavelength are acquired. First image acquisition means, second irradiation means for irradiating the eye to be examined with excitation light including a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and the first wavelength based on the irradiation of the second wavelength . A second image acquisition means for acquiring a second autofluorescence image of the same substance as the fluorescent material in the autofluorescence image using a second barrier filter, and an abbreviation of the first autofluorescence image and the second autofluorescence image. An arithmetic means for comparing and calculating image data of the same fundus region, and generating a calculation result image obtained by performing the comparison calculation;
It is provided with.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently acquire images acquired and calculated under different wavelength conditions without requiring a complicated operation.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an optical system of a fundus imaging apparatus according to an embodiment.

  A light source unit (laser light emitting unit) 1 that emits laser light having blue and green wavelengths includes a first laser light source 1a that emits blue (wavelength of about 490 nm) laser light and green (wavelength of about 530 nm) laser light. The two laser light sources 1b that emit light are included, and each light source is driven and controlled by the control unit 30 (see FIG. 2). Further, the light source unit 1 has a characteristic of reflecting green light and transmitting blue light as an optical path combining member for coaxially (combining) light emitted from each light source on the optical axis L1. A dichroic mirror 17 is disposed.

  The laser light emitted from the laser light emitting portion 1 passes through the opening portion of the perforated mirror 2 having an opening portion in the center, passes through the lens 3, is reflected by the mirror 4, the mirror 5, and the concave mirror 6, and is polygonal Head to mirror 7. The light beam reflected by the polygon mirror 7 is reflected by the concave mirror 8 (8a, 8b), the galvano mirror 9, the mirror 15, and the concave mirror 10, and then condensed on the fundus of the eye E to be examined. Scan dimensionally (in the XY axis direction shown). In the present embodiment, the polygon mirror 7 serves as scanning means for scanning the laser light in the horizontal direction on the fundus of the eye E, and the galvanometer mirror 9 emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the polygon mirror 7. It becomes a scanning means for scanning. By these optical members, a light projection optical system (irradiation optical system) for illuminating the fundus by scanning laser light on the fundus is formed. The irradiation optical system using the first laser light source 1a is a first irradiation means, and the irradiation optical system using the second laser light source 1b is a second irradiation means.

  The reflected light (diffused light) of the laser beam scanned on the fundus Er of the eye E is reflected by the concave mirror 10 and the mirror 15 and travels toward the galvanometer mirror 9. The light reflected by the galvanometer mirror 9 follows the concave mirror 8 (8 a, 8 b), the polygon mirror 7, the concave mirror 6, the mirror 5, the mirror 4, and the lens 3 to the perforated mirror 2. Reflected by the perforated mirror 2 and bent downward. Note that the pupil position of the eye E and the opening of the perforated mirror 2 are conjugated by the lens 3. The reflected light reflected by the perforated mirror 2 passes through the lens 11 and the rotating plate 20 and is focused on the pinhole of the pinhole plate 12 (conjugated with the fundus of the eye E to be examined). The reflected light focused by the pinhole plate 12 reaches the dichroic mirror 18 after passing through the pinhole plate 12. The dichroic mirror 18 transmits blue light generated on the fundus of the subject's eye based on the first laser light source 1a as an optical path branching member (optical path branching means), and green light generated on the fundus of the subject's eye based on the second laser light source 1b. Reflect. The blue light transmitted through the dichroic mirror 18 is received by the light receiving element 14a through the lens 13a. The green light reflected by the dichroic mirror 18 is received by the light receiving element 14b through the lens 13b. The lens 13 (13a, 13b) guides the light focused by the pinhole plate 12 to the light receiving element 14 (14a, 14b). A light receiving optical system (photographing optical system) is formed by these optical members.

  The opening diameter of the pinhole plate 12 can be changed. The examiner operates a diaphragm switching dial arranged in the control unit 32, and the control unit 30 controls an actuator (not shown) coupled to the pinhole plate 12, so that the opening diameter of the pinhole plate 12 changes. By changing the opening diameter of the pinhole plate 12, the depth of the captured image (light reception depth width) changes. The observation point of the fundus oculi Er of the eye E and the pinhole plate 12 are in a conjugate positional relationship by the lens 11. The light receiving element 14a and the light receiving element 14b are light receiving elements having the same characteristics. In this embodiment, an APD (avalanche photodiode) having sensitivity in the visible region and the infrared region is used.

  In this embodiment, as will be described later, the standard sample 40 is disposed on the optical path of the optical system (within the laser scanning range) as a compensation means for compensating (intensifying) a captured image. Yes. In the present embodiment, between the mirror 15 and the concave mirror 10, at a predetermined position on the optical path that is conjugate with the fundus Er when the eye E to be examined having a refractive power of 0 diopter is corrected by the diopter correction means, The standard sample 40 is arranged. In the standard sample 40, a standard member 40a and a black standard member 40b (not shown) are arranged side by side. The standard member 40a selects a member that generates a reaction amount (reflection light amount) based on the irradiation light amount of each laser light source (first and second). As the black standard member 40b, a member having a sufficiently low reaction amount with respect to the irradiation light amount of each laser light source (first and second) is selected.

  In the present embodiment, the reflected light generated by the standard member 40a is acquired by the irradiation light. However, when photographing the fluorescence reaction in the fundus of the eye to be examined as in the second embodiment described later, the standard member 40a is fluorescent. A member that generates a reaction may be selected. In addition, the standard sample 40 may include a standard member for black photographing (non-fluorescent photographing) and a black standard member, and a standard member for black photographing and a black standard member arranged side by side. Each member (standard member, black standard member) when the standard sample 40 is inserted into the scanning range of the laser beam stores the arrangement position in advance, so that the control unit 30 can control each member (standard member, black standard member). ) Can be acquired.

  The standard sample 40 can be inserted into and removed from the scanning range of the laser beam by a driving means 36 (not shown) such as an actuator controlled by the control unit 30. The standard sample 40 in the middle of photographing the fundus of the subject's eye is retracted out of the scanning range of the laser beam. When the photographing of the fundus is completed, the standard sample 40 is inserted into the optical path, and photographing of the standard member 40a and the black standard member 40b is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of the fundus imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. A control unit 30 that controls the entire apparatus includes a CPU, and includes a driving unit 36 for driving the laser light sources 1a and 1b, the polygon mirror 7 and the galvano mirror 9, a light receiving element 14, a pulse motor 21, a sensor 23, and a mirror 4. , 5, an image processing unit 33 for forming a fundus image (front image) of the eye E based on signals received by the control unit 32, the light receiving element 14 a and the light receiving element 14 b. Etc. are connected. The combination of the photographing optical system using the light receiving element 14a and the image processing unit 33 becomes the first image acquisition unit, and the combination of the photographing optical system using the light receiving element 14b and the image processing unit 33 forms the second image acquisition unit. It becomes. The image processing unit 33 can form an image (front image) of the fundus of the eye E simultaneously based on signals output from the two light receiving elements (14a, 14b) (parallel signal processing).

  On the display means (monitor 34), a fundus image formed by the image processing unit 33, a calculation result image described later, and the like are displayed. The storage unit 35 stores a program used by the CPU of the control unit 30 to perform control and calculation of a captured image. Note that the storage unit 35, the control unit 30, and the image processing unit 33 also serve as a captured image calculation unit, and perform later-described intensity calculations and image calculations. In order to switch the imaging mode, the control unit 32 is used to input the refractive power of the eye E and other eye information (corneal curvature radius, axial length) of the eye E for diopter correction. Switching dial, photographing switch for starting fluorescent photographing, aperture switching dial for adjusting the depth of the photographed image, and rotating the rotating plate 20 for positioning a desired filter or opening on the optical axis L2. Various switches for operating the apparatus such as a changeover switch are prepared.

  The operation of the fundus imaging apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, a method of displaying and storing an operation result image by simultaneously performing image capturing with blue light by the first laser light source 1a and image capturing with green light by the second laser light source 1b, and subsequently calculating two types of captured images by the calculating means. Will be described.

  When the apparatus is turned on, the examiner selects a calculation imaging mode by operating a mode switching dial (not shown) provided in the control unit 32 in order to perform alignment with the eye E. When the photographing mode is selected, the control unit 30 emits the first laser light source 1a (blue) and the second laser light source 1b (green). The examiner measures the refractive power of the eye E in advance with an eye refractive power measuring device or the like, and inputs the obtained refractive power value of the eye E using the control unit 32. The control unit 30 stores the input refractive power data in the storage unit 35 and drives the mirrors 4 and 5 using the driving unit 31 to perform diopter correction. In a state where the diopter correction is performed, the examiner drives the apparatus using a joystick (not shown) and the like, and the fundus of the eye E is irradiated with laser light. The examiner performs alignment with the eye E so that a desired image is displayed on the monitor 34.

  Here, the control unit 30 controls the driving unit 36 to operate the polygon mirror 7 and the galvanometer mirror 9 to scan the laser beam two-dimensionally on the fundus of the eye E. Thereby, the fundus reflection light corresponding to the scanning position of the laser beam on the fundus of the eye E is sequentially received by the light receiving element 14 (14a, 14b). Here, the image processing unit 33 constructs one fundus image (an image for one frame) based on the light reception signals sequentially output from the light receiving elements 14 (14a, 14b). The monitor 34 displays an image received by the light receiving element 14a. Then, by repeating the above operation, the fundus Er of the eye E can be observed in real time as a moving image on the screen of the monitor 34.

  In the present embodiment, the first laser light source 1a (blue) is used as a light source when aligning the eye to be examined, but the present invention is not limited to this. Infrared light (non-visible) may be used as a light source for alignment. For example, a laser light source that emits infrared light is added to the laser light emitting unit 1, and the dichroic mirror 18 (optical path branching member) is configured to transmit blue light and infrared light. May be emitted and received by the light receiving element 14a.

  By such control, the fundus image (moving image) photographed with the first laser light source 1a (blue) is displayed on the monitor 34. The examiner looks at this image and confirms the imaging region, alignment and focus state, and operates a blue laser light intensity adjustment dial provided on the control unit 32 as means for adjusting the amount of light applied to the eye to be examined. Video). When the examiner operates a blue laser light luminance adjustment dial (for the first laser light source 1a) provided in the control unit 32, the control unit 30 adjusts the amount of laser light emitted from the first laser light source 1a. When the eye E and the apparatus are in an appropriate positional relationship and an appropriate fundus image can be observed, the examiner presses an imaging switch arranged in the control unit 32 as an imaging start instruction for starting imaging.

  In this embodiment, the laser light amount of the second laser light source 1b is linked to the light amount set by the blue laser light luminance adjustment dial (for the first laser light source 1a). For example, when the setting value of the blue laser light brightness adjustment dial adjusted by the examiner is larger than a predetermined value (for example, an intermediate light amount value in the adjustable light amount range), the control unit 30 also determines the light amount of the second laser light source 1b. Adjust the amount of light so that it is larger than the value.

  Note that the light quantity of the first laser light source 1a and the light quantity of the second laser light source 1b are not linked, and the examiner adjusts the light quantity of the second laser light source 1b with a green light brightness adjustment dial provided in a control unit (not shown). It may be. For example, the control unit 30 may detect the operation of the green light adjustment dial and display an image received by the light receiving element 14b on the monitor 34 while the examiner is operating. In this case, for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) after detecting the change in operation of the green light adjustment dial, the display is continuously displayed on the monitor 34 regardless of whether the operation of the green light adjustment dial is continued. When a predetermined time has elapsed since completion, the monitor 34 is automatically switched to an image based on the first laser light source 1a. By doing in this way, adjustment of the light quantity of the 2nd laser light source 1b and confirmation of the image based on this laser beam can be performed by simple operation.

  The photographing switch arranged in the control unit 32 serves as a trigger signal input unit for starting image acquisition. When the controller 30 detects an input of a trigger signal based on the examiner pressing the photographing switch, the controller 30 sequentially outputs from each of the light receiving elements 14 (14a, 14b) in conjunction with the drive control of the polygon mirror 7 and the galvanometer mirror 9. Two fundus images (front images of the fundus for one frame) are constructed based on the received light signal. The control unit 30 divides the first captured image (still image) and the second captured image (still image) having the constructed two-dimensional coordinates and gradation information into the storage unit 35 and stores them. In addition, the control unit 30 stores the position of the diopter correction means (mirrors 4 and 5) at the time of shooting in the storage unit 35 in association with the shot images (first shot image and second shot image) as diopter correction information. .

  The control unit 30 inserts the standard sample 40 that can be inserted into and removed from the optical path in the scanning range of the laser light into the optical path after obtaining the fundus image for one frame. Subsequently, the control unit 30 photographs the standard sample 40 (standard member 40a and black standard member 40b) with the same amount of laser light as that applied to the fundus, obtains reaction light (reflected light), and stores it in the storage unit 35. . In this way, the control unit 30 acquires the first captured image (first image) based on the first laser light source 1a and the second captured image (second image) based on the second laser light source 1b simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. . In the present embodiment, since two different wavelengths are simultaneously projected onto the eye to be examined and simultaneously received by the two light receiving elements, the two photographed images photograph the same fundus region. Therefore, unlike the second embodiment to be described later, it is not necessary to align the two captured images due to the slight eye movement of the eye to be examined. Simultaneous imaging with two light receiving elements is preferable because the reliability (accuracy) of the calculation result image is improved.

  When a series of imaging operations for the eye E is completed, the control unit 30 performs a comparison operation between the two acquired images. First, quantification (compensation) is performed on all pixels constituting the first captured image and the second captured image. The intensity value of the arbitrary coordinates constituting the image to be calculated (intensity of reflected light or fluorescence reaction generated in the fundus) is qV, the gradation value of the arbitrary coordinates (x, y) of the image is Ve, and black when the standard sample is photographed The gradation value of the standard member is Vb, the gradation value of the fluorescence standard member is Vr, the coefficient corresponding to the diopter correction information is Cd, and the eye characteristics of the eye to be examined (for example, the cornea) If the coefficient based on the radius of curvature and the axial length is Cs, the intensity value qV at an arbitrary coordinate can be calculated by Equation 1.

The control unit 30 performs the calculation of Expression 1 for each coordinate of the first captured image and the second captured image. Thus, by photographing the standard sample 40 when photographing the fundus of the eye to be inspected, it is possible to generate an image that compensates for changes in gradation values due to photographing conditions such as the amount of illumination light and the sensitivity of the light receiving element. . In the present embodiment, as a compensation means for compensating the captured image, not only the fundus of the eye to be examined but also the standard sample 40 is photographed. However, the standard sample 40 is not used, and each pixel is compensated (intensity value conversion). ) May generate a coefficient based on a set value of a laser light brightness adjustment dial (irradiation light amount adjustment means) provided in the control unit 32. It is conceivable that the coefficient is obtained in advance by experiment or simulation. Further, without using the standard sample 40 as a compensation means for compensating the photographed image, the light quantity of at least a part of the irradiation light (first laser light source 1a, second laser light source 1b) by an optical path branching member such as a beam splitter. May be used for compensating (intensifying) each pixel. In the present embodiment, the captured image is compensated by compensation means. By using the captured image compensated by the compensation means for calculating the captured image, it becomes difficult to depend on the shooting conditions (irradiation light quantity and sensitivity variation of the light receiving element), and the calculation result image with favorable calculation result accuracy and shooting reproducibility is obtained be able to.

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 performs an operation on each part (coordinate position) of the compensated captured image (first captured image, second captured image). In this embodiment, the calculation of subtracting the intensity value of the same part of the first photographed image from the intensity value of each part of the second photographed image, and the same part of the first photographed image from the intensity value of each pixel of the second photographed image. Performs an operation to subtract intensity values. Here, when the subtracted intensity value takes a negative value, the calculation result is set to 0 (zero). If the intensity value of the first captured image at the coordinate position (x, y) is qV1 (x, y) and the intensity value of the second captured image is qV2 (x, y), the second captured image is obtained from the first captured image. The subtracted intensity value qDa (x, y) and the intensity value qDb (x, y) obtained by subtracting the first captured image from the second captured image are expressed by Equations 2 and 3.

The control unit 30 calculates the result image (see FIG. 6) and the expression obtained by performing the comparison operation (subtraction processing here) of Expression 2 on the first photographed image (see FIG. 4) and the second photographed image (see FIG. 5). An operation result image (see FIG. 7) obtained by performing the comparison operation 3 is generated. The intensity value that is the calculation result is converted into a gradation value and formed as a calculation result image, and the calculation result image is image information that associates two-dimensional coordinates and gradation information (intensity value). When the generation of the two types of calculation result images is completed, the control unit 30 displays the two types of calculation result images side by side on the monitor 34 and stores the calculation result images in the storage unit 35. When the shooting switch is pressed in this way, the first captured image is acquired by the first image acquiring unit, the second captured image is acquired by the second image acquiring unit, and the first captured image and the first captured image are calculated by the calculating unit. The calculation result image display by the display means (monitor 34) and the calculation result image storage by the storage means are automatically performed as a series of flows.

  In the present embodiment, the calculation result image is displayed on the monitor 34 and automatically stored in the storage unit 35 as a series of flows. However, the storage in the storage unit 35 is a storage (not shown) provided in the control unit 32. It may be started by operating a switch. By doing in this way, the examiner can confirm the calculation result image displayed on the monitor 34, and can memorize | store after confirming the image | photographed fundus region. The storage in the storage unit 35 may store not only the calculation result image but also the captured images (first captured image and second captured image) used for the calculation in association with each other. At this time, not only the image acquired at the time of photographing but also the position of the diopter correcting means at the time of photographing and the reaction information of the standard sample 40 may be stored in association with the calculation result image. Thus, by storing information (images, photographing conditions) related to the calculation together with the calculation result image, it can be referred to when diagnosing the calculation result image.

  When the calculation result image is displayed on the monitor 34 or stored, further calculation may be performed on the calculation result image. For example, as computation (image processing), it is conceivable to change the contrast (enhance light and dark) on the computation result image, and to display on the monitor 34 with sharpness (enhance the outline). 6 and 7 are images in which the contrast is changed with respect to the calculation result image. Moreover, although subtraction was performed in this embodiment, it is not restricted to this. It suffices to be able to perform comparison operation processing of two captured images. For example, division may be used. In the present embodiment, the calculation result is 0 (zero) for the portion (coordinate position) in which the subtracted intensity value takes a negative value. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Color the operation result image with an arbitrary color. For example, for a portion (coordinate position) where the subtraction result takes a positive value, the intensity value of the subtraction result is a blue shade (intensity value), and the subtraction result is negative. For the part (coordinate position) that takes the value of, the intensity value as a result of the subtraction may be a shade of green (intensity value).

  Next, a second embodiment serving as a modification example of the present embodiment (first embodiment) will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the part of the code | symbol same as FIG. 1 makes the same meaning.

  In the first embodiment described above, two types of laser light (the first laser light source 1a and the second laser light source 1b) are simultaneously irradiated onto the eye to be examined, and two types of captured images are simultaneously acquired by the two light receiving elements. did. In the second embodiment, the light receiving element is 1, and two types of laser beams having different wavelengths (the first laser light source 1a and the second laser light source 1b) are alternately irradiated on the eye to be examined, and one photographed image is divided at different times. Acquire every (1 frame). In the second embodiment, as the spectral transmittance changing means of the light receiving optical system, two types of spontaneous fluorescence imaging are performed by switching two types of filters having different spectral transmittances.

  In addition, spontaneous fluorescence (fundus-auto-fluorescence) imaging | photography is fluorescence imaging using the principle in which the lipofuscin of a retinal pigment epithelium shows natural fluorescence with respect to excitation light (the 1st laser light source 1a or the 2nd laser light source 1b). In the present embodiment, the first laser light source 1a (wavelength of about 490 nm) is irradiated and an imaging method for photographing fluorescence through the first filter 24 (transmitting only the wavelength range of 500 to 780 nm) and the second laser light source 1b (wavelength). Two types of autofluorescence imaging are performed, in which an imaging method is used in which fluorescence is imaged through the second filter 25 (transmitting only a wavelength of 540 nm or more). For example, xanthophyll contained in the macula portion passes green light (wavelength of about 530 nm) but absorbs blue light (wavelength of about 490 nm). Thus, it is conceivable that different autofluorescence reaction phenomena can be photographed by changing the wavelength used for the excitation light.

  In the second embodiment, the number of light receiving elements is one (light receiving element 14), and the dichroic mirror 18 in the configuration of the first embodiment is replaced, and the spectral transmittance is changed between the perforated mirror 2 and the light receiving element 14. The rotating plate 20 to be changed (selected) is arranged. The characteristics of the light receiving element 14 are the same as those of the light receiving elements (14a, 14b) having the configuration of the first embodiment. The rotary plate 20 has an opening 27 (not shown), a first filter 24 (not shown) having a characteristic of transmitting only a wavelength range of 500 to 780 nm, and a second (not shown) having a characteristic of transmitting only a wavelength of 540 nm or more. And a filter 25. The control unit 30 controls the pulse motor 21 to rotate the rotating plate 20 so that any one of the opening 27, the first filter 24, and the second filter 25 is disposed on the optical axis L2.

  With these two types of laser light sources (first laser light source 1a and second laser light source 1b), the opening 27 and two types of filters arranged on the rotating plate 20, two types of normal imaging and two types of spontaneous fluorescence are provided. Shooting can be performed. Note that the normal photographing is a photographing method in which one of the opening 20 and two types of laser light sources is combined. In addition, the self-fluorescent imaging is performed by combining the first laser light source 1a (wavelength of about 490 nm) and the first filter 24 (transmitting only the wavelength range of 500 to 780 nm) and the second laser light source 1b (wavelength of about 530 nm). ) And the second filter 25 (transmitting only the wavelength of 540 nm or more).

  A flowchart of FIG. 3B shows a method of performing comparison calculation of captured images and displaying and storing the calculation result image after continuously performing two types of spontaneous fluorescence imaging in such a configuration.

  Similar to the first embodiment, initial setting of the apparatus and alignment to the eye to be examined are performed. However, the control of the control unit 30 is different from the first embodiment in that the control unit 30 arranges the first filter 24 of the rotating plate 20 on the optical axis L2 and the laser light source turns on only the first laser light source 1a. The control unit 30 drives and controls the driving unit 36 to operate the polygon mirror 7 and the galvano mirror 9 to construct a fundus image (an image for one frame) based on the light reception signal sequentially output from the light receiving element 14. By repeating the construction, the video is displayed on the screen of the monitor 34. The light amount of the first laser light source 1a is adjusted in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and control is performed so that the relative light amount cooperates with the first laser light source 1a when the second laser light source 1b described later is turned on. Let

  When the examiner performs alignment and presses the photographing switch, the control unit 30 performs a single fundus image (based on the light reception signal sequentially output from the light receiving element 14 in conjunction with the drive control of the polygon mirror 7 and the galvanometer mirror 9. A front image of the fundus for one frame) is constructed and stored in the storage unit 35 as a first photographed image together with the diopter correction information and the photographing information of the standard sample 40. Subsequently, the control unit 30 turns off the first laser light source 1a and controls the pulse motor 21 so that the second filter 25 (not shown) of the rotating plate 20 is arranged on the optical axis L2. When the control of the rotating plate 20 is completed, the control unit 30 turns on the second laser light source 1b.

  In the same manner as the construction of the first captured image, the control unit 30 performs a single fundus image (1) based on the light reception signal sequentially output from the light receiving element 14 in conjunction with the drive control of the polygon mirror 7 and the galvanometer mirror 9. A front image of the fundus of the frame) is constructed and stored in the storage unit 35 as a second photographed image together with the diopter correction information and the photographing information of the standard sample 40. In the present embodiment, the first captured image is acquired by the combination of the first laser light source 1a and the first filter 24, and the second captured image is acquired by the combination of the second laser light source 1b and the second filter 25. The order of shooting may be reversed.

  When a series of photographing operations (acquisition of the first photographed image and the second photographed image) for the eye E is completed, the control unit 30 aligns the first photographed image and the second photographed image. For the alignment, a method of detecting feature points of the fundus of the eye to be examined (for example, fundus blood vessels, nipples, etc.) from the photographed image can be considered. A known alignment method is conceivable in which feature points are detected from each captured image and the special vertices of each captured image are matched. When the alignment is completed, the deviation amount (deviation amount) between the first photographed image and the second photographed image is stored.

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 quantifies the captured image in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Here, compensation (intensity value) of the photographed image is performed using the photographing information of the fluorescent standard sample for fluorescent photographing obtained at the time of photographing and the standard sample 40 in which the black standard sample is incorporated. The control unit 30 calculates a photographed image from the deviation amount obtained by the above-described alignment and the compensation of the photographed image. Compensation is performed so that the same part of the first photographed image and the second photographed image is calculated from the deviation amount obtained by the alignment, and the comparison calculation described in Expression 2 and Expression 3 in the first embodiment is performed. When the generation of the two types of calculation result images that have been calculated according to Equations 2 and 3 is completed, the control unit 30 displays the two types of calculation result images side by side on the monitor 34 and stores the calculation result images in the storage unit 35. .

  As described above, complicated operation is required by automatically acquiring two fundus images having different wavelengths of irradiation light, comparing the acquired fundus images with each other, and automatically displaying and storing the calculation result image. It is possible to efficiently acquire images obtained and calculated under different wavelength conditions.

  In this embodiment, the calculation between the captured images is subtracted (Equation 2 and Equation 3), but the present invention is not limited to this. The first captured image and the second captured image may be added. Since autofluorescence has a different degree of fluorescence reaction depending on the wavelength of the excitation light, a single image that has acquired a wide range of spontaneous fluorescence reactions that cannot be obtained with a captured image of one excitation wavelength by adding captured images captured at different excitation wavelengths. Can be stored.

  In the present embodiment, the calculation of two captured images captured with blue light and green light in normal imaging (non-fluorescent imaging) in the first embodiment, and two types of excitation light differing in the second embodiment. Although the calculation of the autofluorescence photographing is performed, the photographed image used for the computation may be an image photographed under different photographing conditions (irradiation light type or spectral characteristic light receiving system type of the light receiving optical system). For example, in addition to the photographing method (photographed image) described in the present embodiment, normal photographing using red light as the irradiation light source, FAG fluorescent photographing, IGC fluorescent photographing, and infrared light are used as the photographing method (photographed image). Autofluorescence photography that has been considered. In an apparatus that can perform at least two types of shooting methods, if the shooting of different shooting conditions (shooting methods) and the calculation and display of the acquired shot image are automatically performed, the same effects as in the present embodiment can be obtained. .

  In the description of the present embodiment, the signal of the imaging switch operated by the examiner is the trigger signal for starting imaging, but the present invention is not limited to this. A trigger signal may be automatically input. For example, alignment detection means for detecting the relative position between the apparatus main body provided with the irradiation optical system and the light receiving optical system and the eye to be examined is provided, and the alignment is automatically input when the alignment detection result is determined to be appropriate. The completion signal may be used as a trigger signal.

  Further, in this embodiment, a fundus photographing apparatus that uses a laser light source (first laser light source 1a, second laser light source 1b) as a light source and scans the fundus with a polygon mirror 7 and a galvanometer mirror 9 to photograph. As described above, the present invention can also be applied to a fundus camera in which a filter having spectral wavelength transmission characteristics in at least one of the illumination optical system and the photographing optical system can be inserted into and removed from the optical path. Two types of captured images can be acquired by inserting and removing a filter having spectral wavelength transmission characteristics. An intensity image can be generated by disposing a standard sample between the objective lens and the hall mirror, and a comparison operation between captured images similar to the present embodiment can be performed.

1 is an optical system diagram of a fundus imaging apparatus showing a first embodiment. It is the block diagram which showed the control system of the fundus imaging apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of this embodiment. It is a 1st picked-up image. It is a 2nd picked-up image. It is a calculation result image which subtracted the 2nd picked-up image from the 1st picked-up image. It is a calculation result image which subtracted the 1st picked-up image from the 2nd picked-up image. FIG. 5 is an optical system diagram of a fundus imaging apparatus showing a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laser beam emission part 1a 1st laser light source 1b 2nd laser light source 2 Hole mirror 3 Lens 4 Mirror 5 Mirror 6 Concave mirror 7 Polygon mirror 8a Concave mirror 8b Concave mirror 9 Galvano mirror 10 Concave mirror 11 Lens 12 Pinhole plate 13a Condensing lens 13b Condensing lens 14a Light receiving element 14b Light receiving element 18 Dichroic mirror 40 Standard sample E Eye to be examined L1 Optical axis L2 Optical axis

Claims (2)

First irradiation means for irradiating the eye to be examined with excitation light including the first wavelength;
First image acquisition means for acquiring a first autofluorescence image based on irradiation of the first wavelength using a first barrier filter;
A second irradiation means for irradiating the eye to be examined with excitation light including a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;
Second image acquisition means for acquiring, using a second barrier filter, a second autofluorescence image based on the same substance as the fluorescent material in the first autofluorescence image based on the irradiation of the second wavelength;
An arithmetic means for comparing and calculating image data of a fundus site that is substantially the same between the first autofluorescence image and the second autofluorescence image, and generating an operation result image obtained by the comparison operation;
A fundus photographing apparatus comprising: The fundus imaging apparatus according to claim 1,
The fundus imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the comparison calculation by the calculation means is subtraction or addition .