JPH067323A - Mr endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily obtain a tomographic image information from a target examination part and to immediately execute an observation and a diagnosis of the target part by an MRI. CONSTITUTION:In the tip part 6 of an inserting part of an MR endoscope, an ultrasonic vibrator part 18 provided with an ultrasonic vibrator 33 is provided so as to be freely turnable, and also, a loop antenna 45 for transmitting and receiving a high-frequency signal is provided. The ultrasonic vibrator 33 is connected to an ultrasonic observing device through conductive lines 40, 41, and the loop antenna 45 to an MRI device through a signal line 46, respectively, and based on an ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic vibrator 33, an ultrasonic tomographic image is generated and observed, and on the other hand, based on a high-frequency signal detected by the loop antenna 45, an observation and a diagnosis by an MRI are executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention introduces an antenna element for transmitting and receiving a high-frequency signal into the body to perform nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (M
The present invention relates to an MR endoscopy device for observing and diagnosing a living body affected area by means of RI).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging method (hereinafter abbreviated as MRI) which utilizes a nuclear magnetic resonance (hereinafter abbreviated as NMR) phenomenon to observe and diagnose a diseased part non-invasively from outside the body. ) Has been proposed.

In MRI, a human body is placed in a magnetic field, a high frequency signal having a predetermined frequency is applied to excite a nucleus having a spin in the human body, and a high frequency signal (MR signal) having a predetermined frequency from the excited nucleus is generated. A tomographic image of the human body is obtained by detecting and processing by a computer. This MR
The tomographic image obtained by I is extremely useful for diagnosis of cancer and the like. That is, it is generally known that MR signals obtained from cancer cells and normal cells have different relaxation times from each other, and by measuring the relaxation times, it is possible to diagnose whether cancer is present or not.

As the above-mentioned MRI diagnostic apparatus, for example, a loop antenna for transmitting and receiving high-frequency signals, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-212262, is introduced, and a tomographic image is obtained by MRI. Get M
An R endoscopic device has been proposed. In this device, a loop antenna is provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope, high-frequency signals are transmitted and received from the inside of the body, and a highly sensitive tomographic image can be obtained over a wide range from a position closer to the target examination site.

[0005]

However, in the conventional MR endoscope apparatus as described above, it is possible to easily obtain the information by NMR of the tissue deep portion from the inside of the body cavity. It took a long time to obtain the tomographic image, and it was not possible to easily diagnose the target examination site. That is, when observing and diagnosing by MRI, it takes a lot of time to obtain one tomographic image. Therefore, the target examination site for which information is to be obtained is positioned so that it enters the diagnostic region. It was not easy, and it was necessary to repeat the procedure, and it took a lot of time for observation and diagnosis.

In the case of optically observing a region to be inspected by an endoscope and obtaining a tomographic image of the corresponding region by MRI, only the tissue surface can be observed by optical observation. There is a problem that it is difficult to associate with the image. Even in this case, it may take a lot of time to obtain a tomographic image of the target examination site for which information is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and it is possible to easily obtain a tomographic image of a target examination site for which information is desired, and to immediately perform observation and diagnosis by MRI of the target site. It is an object of the present invention to provide an MR endoscope apparatus capable of

[0008]

An MR endoscope apparatus according to the present invention comprises an endoscope for introducing an MR antenna element into the body, and observes and diagnoses a diseased part in a living body by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An apparatus for performing the operation, wherein an MR antenna element for transmitting / receiving a high frequency signal and an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting / receiving an ultrasonic signal are provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope.

[0009]

Function: An ultrasonic tomographic image is generated based on an ultrasonic signal obtained by an ultrasonic transducer provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope for observation, while a high frequency signal detected by the MR antenna element Observation and diagnosis by MRI based on the above.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Is a cross-sectional view showing the tip of the insertion portion of the MR endoscope, and FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of an endoscope apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 2, the MR endoscope 1 of this embodiment is provided with an elongated and flexible insertion portion 2, and a large diameter operation portion 3 is connected to the rear end of the insertion portion 2. It is set up. A flexible universal code 4 is laterally extended from the operation portion 3. Further, an eyepiece section 5 is provided at the rear end of the operation section 3.

The distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion 2 has one side portion,
An illumination window and an observation window are provided in order from the tip side. A light distribution lens 7 is attached to the illumination window, and a light guide 8 is connected to the rear end side of the light distribution lens 7. The light guide 8 is inserted into the insertion portion 2, the operation portion 3 and the universal scorde 4 and is connected to a light source device (not shown).

In addition, a cover glass 11 is provided in the observation window.
An objective optical system 14 having an objective lens 13 is disposed inside the cover glass 11. At the image forming position of the objective optical system 14, an end surface of an image guide 16 made of a fiber bundle is arranged.
The image guide 16 is inserted into the insertion section 2 and the operation section 3 and extends to the eyepiece section 5, and the rear end surface is
It faces the eyepiece lens 17 provided in the eyepiece unit 5. Then, an image is formed by the objective optical system 14, and the image is formed.
The subject image transmitted by the jig guide 16 can be observed from the eyepiece section 5. In addition, in FIG. 2, the air supply system and the suction system necessary for the function of the endoscope are omitted.

An ultrasonic transducer (probe) portion 18 and an M for transmitting and receiving high frequency signals are provided on the tip side of the tip portion 6.
A loop antenna is provided as an R antenna element. The ultrasonic transducer portion 18 is arranged toward the side of the distal end portion 6 and is rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 2. This ultrasonic transducer section 18
Is rotatably driven by a flexible shaft 19 rotatably inserted in the insertion portion 2.
The detailed structure of the tip 6 is shown in FIG.

The tip portion 6 is mainly composed of a tip forming portion 21 and an ultrasonic transducer exterior member 22. The ultrasonic transducer portion 18 is rotatably disposed inside the ultrasonic transducer exterior member 22. The flexible shaft 19 has its tip fixed to the handle 23 of the ultrasonic transducer section 18 extended into the tip forming section 21, and the insertion section 2
After being inserted through the inside, the rear end is extended into the operation portion 3.
As shown in FIG. 2, a drive shaft 24 is connected to the rear end of the flexible shaft 19, and a pulley 25, for example, is attached to the drive shaft 24. A motor 26, which is a rotary drive source, is provided in the operation section 3, and a pulley 27 is attached to a drive shaft of the motor 26. And both pulleys 25 and 27 are belt 2
8 are linked together. Therefore, when the motor 26 is rotated, the rotational force is transmitted through the flexible shaft 19 and the ultrasonic transducer portion 18 is rotated.

The ultrasonic vibrator exterior member 22 is formed of a cap-shaped short cylinder whose front end surface is formed of a thick disk and whose rear surface is open. Further, the tip forming portion 21 whose tip portion is tightly fitted to the exterior member 22 is also formed by a disc whose front end surface is formed into an annular shape, and the front end surface outer peripheral step portion is the exterior member 22. It is integrated with. Further, at the outer peripheral step portion of the rear end portion of the tip forming portion 21, the spiral tube 29 that constitutes the insertion portion 2 and the outer cover 3 that covers the spiral tube 29 are provided.
Each tip of 0 is tightly fitted. Then, the objective lens 13 is disposed on a part of the outer peripheral portion of the tip forming portion 21 via a cover glass 11 exposed to the outside, and the objective lens 13 is provided on the objective lens 13. The tip faces are opposite.

The ultrasonic transducer section 18 disposed inside the exterior member 22 is a transducer mounting member 31 made of a conductive material.
Ultrasonic transducer 33 fixed inside by receiving member 32
And an acoustic lens 34 disposed on the wave transmitting / receiving surface of the ultrasonic transducer 33, and a damping member 35 disposed on the surface opposite to the ultrasonic transducer 33. The vibrator mounting member 31 is formed of a short tubular body whose upper and lower surfaces are open, and is arranged inside the exterior member 22 so that its axial direction is perpendicular to the axial direction of the insertion portion. Therefore, the open end surfaces of the upper and lower surfaces of the oscillator mounting member 31 face the peripheral surface of the exterior member 22. The pipe-shaped handle 23 extends laterally from a part of the central portion of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting member 31. The handle portion 23 forms a drive shaft for rotationally scanning the ultrasonic transducer 33, and the handle portion 23 forms the tip forming portion 2
From the central opening 21a of the annular front end face of No. 1 to the tip forming portion 21
Has been extended in.

In the vibrator mounting member 31 thus constructed, at a position from the outer side in the middle,
The ultrasonic transducer 33 is fixed horizontally by the receiving member 32 with its wave transmitting / receiving surface facing the upper open end face, and the acoustic lens 34 also serving as a matching layer is fixed on the wave transmitting / receiving surface. A damping member 35 is filled in the receiving member 32 on the side opposite to the wave transmitting / receiving surface. The handle 23 extending into the tip forming portion 21 is rotatably supported by a bearing member 36 such as a bearing fixed to the tip forming portion 21. The tip end of a flexible shaft 19 formed of a conductive elastic wire in a close-wound coil shape is tightly fitted to a small-diameter portion 23a formed by a step on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end of the handle 23. It is fixed. The flexible shaft 19 may have a double winding structure. Further, a fixing member 37 for integrally mounting the bearing member 36 to the tip forming portion 21 is screwed and fixed to the tip forming portion 21 in the tip forming portion 21. Guide tube 3 covering the flexible shaft 19
8 is attached by being tightened with a nut 39.

Inside the flexible shaft 19, a drive pulse signal for transmission is transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer 33 and a signal for reception of the transducer 33 is transmitted to an external amplifier. The line 40 is inserted.
The conductive wire 40 is formed of an electric wire coated with an insulating coating, and the insulating coating conductive wire 40a inserted through the central portion of the conductive wire 40 penetrates through the pipe-shaped handle portion 23 as a signal transmission line to form a vibrator mounting member. It is connected to the signal line terminal of the ultrasonic transducer 33 in 31. Then, the ultrasonic transducer 33
The ground line terminal of the receiving member 3 is formed by the conductive wire 41.
It is connected to the vibrator mounting member 31 through two openings. The conductive line 40 and the ground line conductive line 41
The flexible shaft 19 electrically connected to the flexible shaft 19 via the conductive handle 23 constitutes a conventional coaxial cable.

On the other hand, the inside of the ultrasonic oscillator exterior member 22 is filled with an ultrasonic transmission medium 42 made of an ultrasonic transmission liquid, and the transmission medium 42 is further guided through the opening 21a and the bearing member 36. The flexible shaft 19 and the guide tube 3 are also filled inside.
It plays the role of reducing friction with 8. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the thick tip portion of the exterior member 22 and the tip forming portion 2
V-grooves 43 and 44 are formed on the outer peripheral surface from the front portion of the No. 1 unit, respectively. The V grooves 43 and 44 are portions to which a balloon is attached and fixed so that the body cavity wall and the ultrasonic wave transmitting portion are brought into acoustic close contact with each other so that an air gap is not formed. In addition, in the figure, the air supply hole and the air supply passage for balloon expansion are omitted.

A rectangular loop antenna 45 is arranged inside the ultrasonic vibrator exterior member 22 along the inner peripheral surface thereof. In the present embodiment, the loop antenna 4
5 is fixed inside the ultrasonic transducer exterior member 22. A signal line 46 for transmitting a high-frequency signal is connected to the loop antenna 45 via a matching circuit (not shown), and the signal line 46 passes through the tip forming section 21 and the insertion section 2 is inserted.
Inserted inside.

The signal line 46 connected to the loop antenna 45 is inserted through the insertion section 2 and the universal code 4 and connected to the MRI apparatus. Also,
The signal line 47 connected to the ultrasonic transducer section 18 through the conductive wires 40 and 41 is inserted into the insertion section 2 and the universal code 4 so as to be connected to the ultrasonic observation apparatus. Has become.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic observation apparatus comprises a transmitting circuit 48, an amplifier 49, a digital scan converter 50, a rotary encoder 51, and an address generator 52. Has become. The signal line 47
Is connected to an amplifier 49 via an oscillator circuit 48, and the output side of the amplifier 49 is connected to a digital scan converter 50. That is, while the ultrasonic signal output from the transmission circuit 48 is transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer 33,
The reflected wave signal received from the ultrasonic transducer 33 from the inspection target portion is sent to the digital scan converter via the amplifier 49.
Data is input to the computer 50. The output side of the digital scan converter 50 is connected to a CRT monitor 54 via a frame memory 53. Further, a rotary encoder 51 is connected to the digital scan converter 50 via an address generator 52. Then, based on the output signal from the ultrasonic transducer 33, the ultrasonic tomographic image data (for example, the ultrasonic tomographic image data is displayed on the digital scan converter 50 from the coordinate signals obtained from the rotary encoder 51 and the address generator 52. , Ultrasonic B mode image data)
Is generated and the signal of the digital scan converter 50 is output to the frame memory 53.

Further, the MRI apparatus is provided with a high frequency generator 55, a tuning circuit 56 and an MRI signal processing circuit 57. The high frequency generator 55 is connected to the signal line 46 via the tuning circuit 56, and the signal line 46
An MRI signal processing circuit 57 is connected to. That is, the high frequency signal generated by the high frequency generator 55 is tuned by the tuning circuit 56 to the resonance frequency corresponding to the region to be inspected, and is sent out from the loop antenna 45. At the same time, the MR signal received by the loop antenna 45 from the examination target site is input to the MRI signal processing circuit 57, and the MRI signal processing circuit 57 detects information (NMR parameter) such as relaxation time of the MR signal, and the MRI signal is detected.
To produce a tomographic image. The output signal of the digital scan converter 50 and the MR
The output signal of the I signal processing circuit 57 is the same as the frame memory 53.
Are stored in the CRT monitor 34, and a tomographic image by MRI and an ultrasonic tomographic image are displayed on the CRT monitor 34.

Next, the operation of this embodiment thus constructed will be described. The MR endoscope apparatus of the present embodiment is used in combination with a static magnetic field generating means (not shown) composed of a permanent magnet, a normal conducting magnet, a superconducting magnet or the like. That is, a static magnetic field is generated by the static magnetic field generating means, and the MR endoscope 1 is inserted into the body cavity of the subject and used while the subject is placed in the static magnetic field. When inserting into the body cavity, the optical image obtained by the observation optical system such as the objective lens 13 is inserted to the inspection target site while observing from the eyepiece 5.

When diagnosing by MRI, first, a static magnetic field is applied to the subject by the static magnetic field generating means. Then, a high frequency signal is transmitted / received to / from the examination target site from a loop antenna 45 provided at the distal end of the insertion section, and the MRI apparatus uses an NM device based on the received MR signal from the examination target site.
The R parameter is detected to generate a tomographic image by MRI.

In this embodiment, ultrasonic diagnosis is performed by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals by the ultrasonic transducer 33 at the distal end of the insertion section before the diagnosis by MRI. That is,
By generating an ultrasonic tomographic image and observing this tomographic image, the target examination site (region with the diseased part) that is the region of interest of the diagnostician is searched, and a tomographic image of the examination region of this region of interest is obtained. As described above, the insertion portion 2 of the MR endoscope 1 is moved to position the ultrasonic transducer 33 and the loop antenna 45.

The MR endoscope 1 of the present embodiment uses a radial mechanical scanning system in which the ultrasonic transducer 33 is mechanically rotated. A transmission pulse is sent from the ultrasonic observation device to the ultrasonic transducer 33, the ultrasonic transducer 33 is driven by this transmission pulse, and the ultrasonic pulse is emitted toward the site to be examined of the living body. This ultrasonic pulse is reflected at the boundary of the tissue in the living body, and again as an echo, the ultrasonic transducer 33
And converted into an electric signal. This electric signal is input to the digital scan converter 50 of the ultrasonic observation apparatus to generate ultrasonic tomographic image data, and the output signal from the digital scan converter 50 is passed through the frame memory 53. It is input to the monitor 54 and an ultrasonic tomographic image is displayed on this monitor 54.

In this embodiment, the optical observation direction and the ultrasonic observation direction are both side-view type endoscopes, and the detection direction of the MR signal by the loop antenna 45 is also set to the side. A tomographic plane of an ultrasonic tomographic image obtained by the transducer 33 and an MR obtained by the loop antenna 45
At least a part of the tomographic plane of the I tomographic image overlaps. Therefore, when the distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion of the MR endoscope 1 is positioned so as to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image of the examination target region of the region of interest,
The loop antenna 45 can be positioned so that the target examination site for which information is desired enters the MRI diagnostic region.

As described above, the examination target portion of the region of interest of the diagnostician is specified by the ultrasonic tomographic image, and the loop antenna 45 is positioned so that the examination target portion enters the MRI diagnostic region. Generate an image to make a diagnosis. In the static magnetic field, the high frequency signal generated by the high frequency generator 55 is passed through the tuning circuit 56 to the loop antenna 4
Then, the data is sent from 5 to the inspection target site in the body cavity. Then, the MR signal from the region to be examined is received by the loop antenna 45, and the MRI signal processing circuit 57 in the MRI apparatus N
The MR parameter is detected to generate a tomographic image by MRI. The output signal of the MRI signal processing circuit 57 is a frame signal.
It is input to the monitor 54 via the memory 53, and the MRI tomographic image is displayed on the monitor 54. Note that the frame memory 53 may combine the ultrasonic tomographic image and the MRI tomographic image and display the combined image on the monitor 54.

As described above, by arranging the ultrasonic transducer and the loop antenna at the tip of the endoscope and using the ultrasonic diagnosis and the MRI diagnosis together, it is possible to obtain information in advance from the ultrasonic tomographic image. It is possible to detect the inspection target portion and position the loop antenna so that the inspection target portion enters the diagnostic region of MRI, and then it is possible to precisely inspect the inspection target portion by MRI diagnosis. Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain a tomographic image of the target examination site for which information is desired, and to immediately perform observation and diagnosis by MRI of the target site.

FIGS. 3 and 4 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the MR endoscope, and FIG. 4 shows the ultrasonic transducer portion from below in FIG. FIG.

The second embodiment is an example in which the arrangement of the loop antenna at the tip of the insertion portion of the MR endoscope is changed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the MR endoscope of the second embodiment has an elongated insertion portion 2 as in the first embodiment, and the distal end portion 61 of the insertion portion 2 has a distal end structure. It is composed of a portion 21 and an ultrasonic transducer exterior member 22. An ultrasonic transducer unit 18 including an ultrasonic transducer 33 is rotatably disposed inside the ultrasonic transducer exterior member 22, and an ultrasonic transmission medium 42 is provided around the ultrasonic transducer unit 18. Is satisfied.

A loop antenna 62 is rotatably arranged together with the ultrasonic transducer portion 18 on the surface of the ultrasonic transducer portion 18 opposite to the wave transmitting / receiving surface. This loop antenna 62
As shown in FIG. 4, is arranged in an annular shape on the end surface of the ultrasonic transducer portion 18 opposite to the wave transmitting / receiving surface. The ultrasonic transducer 33 and the loop antenna 62 are connected to the signal lines 47 and 46 that pass through the handle 23 of the ultrasonic transducer 18 and the flexible shaft 19, respectively, and are connected via the signal lines 47 and 46. Ultrasonic observation device, MRI
It is designed to be connected to a device.

Others are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Similar to the first embodiment, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by the ultrasonic transducer 33 to generate an ultrasonic tomographic image, and the examination target region in the region of interest of the diagnostician is specified by ultrasonic observation. In the present embodiment, when the ultrasonic transducer unit 18 is moved to a position where an ultrasonic tomographic image of this inspection target portion is obtained and the rotational position is adjusted, the inspection target portion is looped by the loop antenna 6
It comes into the MRI diagnosis area according to 2. Therefore,
After the inspection target region of the region of interest is specified, the rotation of the ultrasonic transducer unit 18 is stopped and the loop antenna 62 is positioned so that the inspection target region is within the MRI diagnostic region.
Switch to diagnosis. Then, a high frequency signal is transmitted / received from the loop antenna 62, and an NMR parameter is detected by an MRI device based on the MR signal from the inspection target part,
A tomographic image is generated to make a diagnosis.

In the first embodiment, the loop antenna is fixed inside the ultrasonic vibrator exterior member, but in the present embodiment,
Since the loop antenna 62 is rotatably provided in the ultrasonic transducer unit 18 together with the ultrasonic transducer 33, the ultrasonic tomographic image obtained by the ultrasonic transducer 33 and the loop antenna 6 are provided.
The positional relationship between the images and the MRI tomographic image obtained in 2 can be clearly understood. Therefore, since the ultrasonic tomographic image and the MRI tomographic image can be easily associated with each other, it is possible to more easily obtain the tomographic image of the target examination site for which information is desired to be obtained.

Other functions and effects are similar to those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the second embodiment. This modification is an example in which the arrangement of the loop antenna is changed, and FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the ultrasonic transducer section.

The ultrasonic transducer portion 71 provided in the ultrasonic transducer exterior member of this modification includes the ultrasonic transducer 33, and the loop antenna 72 is arranged on the transmitting / receiving surface side of the ultrasonic transducer portion 71. It is set up. Loop antenna 72
Are provided along the outer peripheral portion of the wave transmission / reception surface of the ultrasonic transducer section 71, and are rotatable together with the ultrasonic transducer section 71. The ultrasonic transducer 33 is connected to the signal line 47, and the loop antenna 72 is connected to the signal line 46 so as to be connected to the ultrasonic observation apparatus and the MRI apparatus, respectively. Other configurations are the same as those in the second embodiment.

In this way, even when the loop antenna is arranged on the transmitting / receiving surface side of the ultrasonic transducer section, the ultrasonic tomographic image obtained by the ultrasonic transducer 33 is obtained as in the second embodiment. The positional relationship between the images and the MRI tomographic image obtained by the loop antenna 72 can be clearly grasped, and it is possible to more easily obtain the tomographic image of the target examination site for which information is desired. Observation and diagnosis by MRI can be performed immediately.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a tomographic image of a target examination site for which information is desired, and to immediately observe and diagnose the target site by MRI. There is an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an MR endoscope.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an MR endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an MR endoscope.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory side view of the ultrasonic transducer section as viewed from below in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic transducer portion provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the MR endoscope according to the modified example of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... MR endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 6 ... Tip part 18 ... Ultrasonic vibrator part 19 ... Flexible shaft 21 ... Tip constituent part 22 ... Ultrasonic vibrator exterior member 33 ... Ultrasonic vibrator 45 ... Loop antenna 46, 47 ... Signal line 50 ... Digital scan converter 54 ... Monitor 55 ... High frequency generator 56 ... Tuning circuit 57 ... MRI signal processing circuit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical indication location 8932-4C A61B 5/05 355 (72) Inventor Koichi Matsui 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Keiichi Hiyama 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroki Hibino 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Koichi Shimizu 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shoichi Gotanda 2-43 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuya Yamaguchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kenji Yoshino 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Masaaki Hayashi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An MR endoscope apparatus comprising an endoscope for introducing an MR antenna element into a body, for observing and diagnosing a diseased part of a living body by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MR endoscope apparatus, wherein an MR antenna element for transmitting / receiving a high-frequency signal and an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting / receiving an ultrasonic signal are provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the.