JPH0397442A - Endoscope device for fluorescent observation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change over from exciting light to visible light and vice versa in a simple construction and also provide possibility of changing over between the fluorescent light and visible light by furnishing a rotary filter with a penetration part to admit penetration of visible range light, another penetration part to admit penetration of an exciting light, and a third to admit fluorescent light. CONSTITUTION:The light flux of an object to be photographed 20, which is irradiated with the illumination light of a lamp 12, is focused by an objective lens 7 on the incident end-face of an image guide 8, conducted in this image guide 8, wave-divided by a rotary filter 9, passed through a color mozaic filter 10, and focused on the photo-electric conversion surface of a CCD 11. The CCD 11 makes photo-electric conversion of the light flux of the object 20 and gives the result to a photographing signal processing circuit 14 as a photographing signal. Further an image signal processing circuit 17 reflects the image of the object 20 stored in a visible image memory 15 and a fluorescent image memory 16 on a monitor 7, with the image due to visible light and the image due to fluorescent displayed in individual screens, in a synthesized screen, or in one screen. Thereby the light flux in the visible range, the one in the exciting light range, and the one in fluorescent range can be separated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement in an endoscope device capable of observing a luminous flux in a visible light region and a luminous flux in a fluorescent region.

[Prior Art J] In recent years, endoscopes (scopes or fiberscopes), which can diagnose and examine internal organs in body cavities by inserting an elongated insertion section into body cavities, have been widely used. There is. Moreover, it is used not only for medical purposes but also for industrial purposes to observe and inspect objects such as inside pipes of boilers, machines, chemical plants, etc., or inside machines.

Furthermore, solid-state imaging devices such as charge-coupled devices (CODs)
Various types of electronic endoscopes are also used as i-image means.

By the way, as a method for inspecting the condition of internal organs of the human body,
An endoscope device (endoscope for fluorescence vA observation) that can be used for the method of observing the glory by administering a brightening agent to the object to be inspected such as internal organs, irradiating it with excitation light, and observing the glory emitted from the fluorescent agent. For example, JP-A-63-1 22421!
It is shown in the official gazette.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned endoscope device, a means for switching between excitation light and visible light is provided in the illumination path that guides the illumination light, and a means for switching between excitation light and visible light is provided in the illumination path that guides the illumination light. Means for switching between fluorescent light and visible light must be provided in each path, and S
The problem is that the structure is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and is an endoscope for fluorescence observation that can switch between excitation light and visible light and switch between fluorescence and visible light with a simple structure.
The purpose is to provide an edict.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] A rotating filter is provided in the illumination path that guides the illumination light and in the observation path that guides the object luminous flux, and this rotating filter has a visible light filter. A transmitting section that transmits the region, a transmitting section that transmits the excitation light, and a transmitting section that transmits the fluorescence are provided, and the rotary filter further includes a transmitting section that transmits the excitation light located in the illumination path. At times, each transmitting section is arranged so that the transmitting section that transmits the fluorescent light is positioned in the observation path, and excitation light and visible light are switched by rotating the rotary filter, and It is designed to switch between fluorescence and visible light.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an endoscope device for fluorescence observation, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a rotating filter.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope device for fluorescence observation includes an insertion section 1 that is formed into an elongated shape so that it can be inserted into a body cavity, and illumination light that is visible light and excitation light is supplied to this insertion section 1. An extra-body cavity device section 2 that images a subject light flux such as a subject image from the insertion section 1, a control device section 3 to which this extra-body cavity device section 2 is connected, and an image from this III-equipped haze section 3. It consists of a monitor 4 that displays the signal.

The insertion section 1 includes a light guide 5 that guides the illumination light from the extra-body cavity device section 2 into the body cavity, a light distribution lens 6 disposed on the output end surface of the light guide 5, and a light distribution lens 6 that guides the subject light flux. an image guide 8 that guides light to the body cavity exterior n part 2;
An objective lens 7 is disposed on the input end surface of the image guide 8, and an air supply tube, a water supply tube, etc. (not shown) are installed inside the image guide 8.

The insertion section 1 also includes a distal end component where the light distribution lens 6 and the objective lens 71 are disposed, and a curved section that can be bent vertically/horizontally, for example, and connected to the rear end of the distal end component. ,
It is composed of a long and flexible FA pipe section connected to the rear end of this curved section.

The extra-body cavity device section 2 is connected to the insertion section 1, and the light guide 5 and the image guide 8 protrude,
A rotary filter 9 disposed in front of the incident end face of the light guide 5 and the output end face of the image guide 8, and the light guide 5 facing the input end of the light guide 5 via the rotary filter 9. i) A lamp 12 that supplies the illumination light, a CCD 11 that is a prison image sensor that faces the output end face of the image guide 8 via the rotary filter 9, and a space between the rotary filter 9 and the CCD 11. A color mosaic filter 10 that transmits a subject light flux in a specific color band in units of, for example, one cell of the CCD 11, and a motor 1 that rotationally drives the rotary filter 9.
3, and an air/water supply control switch (not shown).

The iiiJ a device unit 3 includes an af&signal processing circuit 14 that drives the CC[) 11 and processes and converts the R image signal from the CGD 11 in various ways, and a visible light region of the dynamic image signal processing circuit 14. I! ! a visible image memory 15 for storing image signals; a glorious image memory 16 for storing imaging signals of the fluorescent region of the R image signal processing circuit 14; and the visible image memory 15 and the fluorescent image memory 16. an image signal processing circuit 17 that converts the signal into an image signal and processes each scale, a motor drive circuit 18 that drives the motor 13, the R image signal processing circuit 14, a visible image memory 15, and a fluorescent image memory. 16 and a switching circuit 19 that outputs a switching signal to the motor driving circuit 18.

The COD input/output terminal of the imaging signal processing circuit 14 is connected to the CG
The embroidery image signal processing circuit 14 is connected to the input/output terminal of the D11.
A first output terminal of the imaging signal processing circuit 14 is connected to an input terminal of the visible image memory 15, and a second output terminal of the image signal processing circuit 14 is connected to an input terminal of the fluorescent image memory 16.

The output terminal of the visible image memory 15 is connected to the visible image signal input terminal of the image signal processing circuit 17, and the visible image memory 1
The control terminal of 5 is connected to the second output terminal of one of the switching circuits.

The output terminal of the fluorescent image memory 16 is connected to the fluorescent image signal input terminal of the Moeki image signal processing circuit 17.
The control end of 6 is connected to the third output end of one of the switching circuits.

The video signal output terminal of the image signal processing circuit 17 is connected to the video signal input terminal of the monitor 4.

The drive output terminal of the motor drive circuit 18 is connected to the motor drive circuit 13.
The control terminal of the motor driving circuit 18 is connected to the first output terminal of the switching circuit 19.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary filter 9 includes a substantially disc-shaped member 9e, substantially disc-shaped visible light transmission filters (hereinafter referred to as visible light filters) 9a and 9c, and substantially disc-shaped visible light transmission filters 9a and 9c. It is composed of a disk-shaped fluorescent region transmission filter (hereinafter referred to as a fluorescence filter) 9b and a substantially disk-shaped excitation light transmission filter (hereinafter referred to as an excitation light filter) 9d, and a member 9e.
The center point of is provided on the shaft of the motor 13.

The visible light filters 9a and 9c are arranged on a first straight line that is the diameter of the member 9e, and the fluorescent filter 9b
The excitation light filter 9d is disposed on a second straight line orthogonal to the first straight line at the center point of the member 9e, and the visible light filters 9a, 9c, fluorescence filter 9b, and excitation light filter 9d are They are arranged so that their outer circumferences do not overlap and are very close to each other.

Furthermore, in the filter 9, when the visible light filter 9a is located on the optical path between the light guide 5 and the lamp 12, the visible light filter 9C is located on the optical path between the image guide 8 and the CGD 11, When the excitation light filter 9d is located on the optical path between the light guide 5 and the lamp 12, the fluorescence filter 9b is located on the optical path between the image guide 8 and the CCD 11.

The operation of the fluorescent IN Kyogawa endoscope constructed in this way will be explained.

Prior to fluorescence observation, which will be described later, a fluorescent agent is injected intravenously into the object to be examined, or into the area to be examined! It is administered to patients who suffer from a breakdown of the Shako agent. Therefore, the η-substrate 20 reacts to the excitation light so as to emit fluorescence.

The motor drive circuit 18 drives the motor 13 based on a switching signal from one switching circuit. In conjunction with the motor 13, visible light filters 9a, 9c1, fluorescence filter 9b, and excitation light filter 9d of the rotating filter 9 (not shown in FIG. It is located as described below.

The illumination light from the lamp 12 is split by the rotating filter 9 to become excitation light or visible light, which enters the incident end face of the light guide 5, and is further guided through the light guide 5. The object 20 is irradiated from the point fJJ through the light distribution lens 6.

The subject light flux of the subject 20 illuminated by the illumination light is focused by the objective lens 7 on the incident surface of the image guide 8, guided through the image guide 8, and demultiplexed by the rotating filter 9. An image is formed on the photoelectric conversion surface of the CCD 11 via the color mosaic filter 10.

A drive signal is inputted to the CCD 11 from the imaging signal processing circuit 14, and the drive signal photoelectrically converts the subject light flux of the subject 20 imaged on the photoelectric conversion surface described above, and processes the imaging signal as an imaging beam. Output to circuit 14.

The imaging signal processing circuit 14 has the CCO1 as described above.
At the same time, the textile image signal is subjected to signal processing such as removal of noise components specific to COD, conversion to a video signal, and γ correction, for example, converting an analog signal to a digital signal and generating a visible image. Memory 15 and fluorescent image memory 16
Output to.

When the visible light filter 9a is located on the optical path between the lamp 12 and the light guide 5, the visible light filter 9C is located on the optical path between the image guide 8 and the CCD 11, and the visible light is incident on the light guide 5. The illumination light becomes a luminous flux in the visible light region, and the subject luminous flux that is imaged on the CCD 11 also becomes a luminous flux in the visible light region.

Therefore, the visible image memory 15 stores the digital signal from the above-mentioned 'm image bow processing circuit 14 in response to the switching signal from the switching circuit 19.

Further, when the excitation light filter 9d is located on the optical path between the lamp 12 and the light guide 5, the fluorescence filter 9b is located on the optical path between the image guide 8 and the CCD 11, and the fluorescence filter 9b is located on the optical path between the image guide 8 and the CCD 11, so that the light does not enter the light guide 5. The illumination light thus generated becomes a light beam in the excitation light region, and the object light beam focused on the CGD 11 also becomes a light beam in the fluorescence region.

Therefore, the fluorescent image memory 16 stores the digital signal from the above-mentioned imaging signal processing circuit 14 in response to a switching signal from one of the switching circuits.

The digital signals stored in the visible image memory 15 and the fluorescent image memory 16 are sequentially read out by an image processing circuit 17.

The image signal processing circuit 17 converts the read digital signal into an analog signal as described above, converts this analog signal into a video 13 that can be output to the monitor 7, and performs various processing.

Further, the image signal processing circuit 17 displays the image of the subject 20 stored in the visible image memory 15 and the fluorescent image memory 16 on the monitor 7, and displays the visible light image and the fluorescent image on a separate screen. Each screen is displayed on a composite screen or on a single screen.

That is, there is an effect that a light flux in the visible light region, a light flux in the excitation light region, and a light flux in the fluorescence region can be separated with a simple structure.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an endoscope apparatus for fluorescence observation according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the endoscopic IFT device for 11't optical observation and the structure of the rotating filter are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals will be used and the explanation will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the same rg1 same path 21 is connected to the switching circuit 19.

Due to the synchronization signal of this synchronization circuit 21, the switching circuit 19
is designed to always output the switching signal described in the first embodiment.

Therefore, the visible light image and the fluorescent image are displayed on the monitor 7 in chronological order as a single screen, a combined screen, or each screen on one screen.

In this example, the color filters of, for example, red, blue, and green bands are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center point of the rotating filter, and the excitation light filter and the fluorescence filter are arranged symmetrically. Except for the mosaic filter, the surface type IliI
It may also be applied to the image method.

That is, there is an effect that changes in the subject luminous flux can be observed over time.

Other effects are similar to those in the first embodiment.

Note that the extracorporeal device section and the control device section may have a separate structure.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to separate the luminous flux in the visible light region, the luminous flux in the excitation light region, and the luminous flux in the fluorescence region with a simple structure. This has the effect that the unit can be made smaller and the control can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an explanatory diagram without showing the structure of the endoscope &1 device for fluorescence observation.
This figure is a front view of a rotating filter, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a fluorescence observation endoscope apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 9... Rotating filter 1 1... COD 1 2... Lamp

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Illumination means for irradiating an object to be inspected containing a fluorescent agent with illumination light including light in a wavelength range that excites the fluorescent agent; and imaging means for capturing an image of a subject light flux of the object to be inspected. In the fluorescence observation endoscope apparatus, one rotating filter is provided in the illumination path that guides the illumination light and in the observation path that guides the subject luminous flux, and the rotating filter has a visible light beam. A transmission section that transmits the light region, a transmission section that transmits the excitation light, and a transmission section that transmits the fluorescence are provided, and the rotation filter has the transmission section that transmits the excitation light located in the illumination path. In some cases, an endoscope device for fluorescence observation, characterized in that each transmission section is arranged such that the transmission section that transmits the fluorescence is located in the observation path.