JPH09497A - Fluorescent image diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a fluorescent image diagnostic device capable of picking up fluorescent images with high sensitivity by continuous exposure for the long period of time while confirming the state of a living body. CONSTITUTION: The living body 14 absorbing a photosensitive material for emitting fluorescent light is continuously irradiated with stimulating light L2 persent in the stimulating wavelength area of the photosensitive material from a stimulating light irradiation means constituted of a light source 10 and a filter 12, etc., the fluorescent light L3 emitted at the time is continuously detected by a first image pickup means 26 and the fluorescent images B are displayed in an image display means 27. In the meantime, the stimulating light reflection images C by the stimulating light L2 reflected at the living body 14 are picked up by a second image pickup means 29 and the stimulating light refelection images C are displayed in the image display means 27.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention irradiates a living body absorbing a fluorescent substance that emits fluorescence with excitation light, and captures and displays an image of fluorescence emitted from the photosensitive substance at that time to display the living body. The present invention relates to a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus used for the diagnosis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, PDD (Photodynamic
Various studies have been made on photodynamic diagnosis called "diagnosis". This PDD has tumor affinity,
A photosensitizer that emits fluorescence when excited by light is previously absorbed in a tumor portion of a living body, and the portion is irradiated with excitation light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer to generate fluorescence, and the fluorescence is generated. This is a technique for diagnosing a tumor part by displaying an image.

For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-9464, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-133630, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-59783 disclose a fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus for performing this PDD. This type of fluorescence image diagnostic device basically has an excitation light irradiation means for irradiating the living body with excitation light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer and a fluorescence image of the living body by detecting the fluorescence emitted by the photosensitizer. And an image display means for displaying the fluorescence image by receiving the output of the image pickup means, and in many cases, an endoscope inserted into the body cavity, a surgical microscope, or the like. Composed into a built-in form.

[0004] In addition to the above means, in addition to the above means, means for irradiating the living body with illumination light, which is usually white light when a fluorescent image is not captured, and detecting illumination light reflected from the living body, There are provided imaging means for capturing a normal image of a living body, and image display means for receiving the output of the imaging means and displaying the normal image (generally also serving as a fluorescent image display). It is possible to observe the state of the living body indicated by, and monitor the positional relationship between the living body and the tip of the light irradiation and imaging means.

[0005]

By the way, since the fluorescence emitted from the above-mentioned photosensitizer is generally extremely weak, it is difficult for many conventional fluorescence image diagnostic apparatuses to capture a fluorescence image with high sensitivity. .

In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-9464, an excimer die laser that emits high-intensity laser light is used as an excitation light source, and an image intensifier (image intensifying tube) is used as a fluorescence image pickup means. Although a fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus capable of high-sensitivity imaging is shown by, the excimer dye laser and the image intensifier are very expensive, so a fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus using them is inevitably expensive. turn into.

A fluorescent image can be picked up with high sensitivity if continuous exposure is possible for a long time without using a special excitation light source and a fluorescent image pick-up means as described above. The excitation light is emitted in a pulse shape, and the video rate of the NTSC standard (field period 1
/ 60 seconds: The actual imaging time is less than that), and the fluorescent image is taken, and continuous exposure for a long time is impossible. This is because the illumination light cannot be emitted while the fluorescence image is being captured, and therefore the state of the living body and the positional relationship between the light irradiation and the tip portion of the imaging means and the living body cannot be confirmed, and such a state continues for a long time. This is because there is a circumstance that it must be avoided to ensure the safety of the living body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a fluorescent image can be obtained by continuous exposure for a long time while confirming the state of the living body and the positional relationship between the living body and the tip of the imaging means and the living body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus capable of picking up images with high sensitivity.

[0009]

A fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention captures and displays an excitation light reflection image (an image formed by excitation light reflected by a living body) to display the state of the living body during the capturing of the fluorescence image. The light irradiation and the position relationship between the tip of the imaging means and the living body can be confirmed. Specifically, for a living body absorbing a fluorescent light-sensitive substance, this light-sensitive substance is used. Of the excitation light in the excitation wavelength region, the first imaging means for continuously detecting the fluorescence and capturing the fluorescence image of the living body, and the first imaging means. A first image display unit that receives the output and displays the fluorescent image, and a second image detection unit that detects the excitation light reflected by the living body and captures the excitation light reflected image of the living body.
And the second image display means for receiving the output of the second image pickup means and displaying the excitation light reflection image.

In the above structure, the continuous irradiation of the excitation light by the irradiating means and the continuous detection of the fluorescence by the first imaging means are preferably 1/60 seconds or more as described in claim 2. This is done over time.

Further, in the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, when the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer is mainly in the blue region, the excitation light irradiation means is mainly in the blue region and green as described in claim 3. It is desirable that the excitation light in the wavelength region including the region is emitted.

Further, in the fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, it is desirable that the first image pickup means is provided with a filter capable of switching a plurality of spectral passage characteristics with respect to the fluorescence as described in claim 4.

Further, in the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, preferably, the first and second fluorescent image diagnostic apparatuses are provided.
The image display means is common, and the fluorescence image and the excitation light reflection image are displayed together there.

Further, in the fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, as described in claim 6, illumination light irradiation means for irradiating the living body with illumination light when the fluorescence image is not captured, and in the living body, A third image pickup means for detecting the reflected illumination light and picking up a normal image of the living body, and a third image display means for receiving the output of the third image pickup means and displaying the normal image are provided. To be

Further, when the illumination light irradiation means, the third image pickup means, and the third image display means are provided, it is more preferable that the illumination light irradiation means has a substantially visible range. A light source that emits light having a wavelength characteristic that has a particularly high intensity in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer over the entire area, and is arranged so as to retreat in the optical path of this light to reduce light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer. The excitation light irradiating means is configured by a first filter, and the excitation light irradiating means is arranged in the optical path instead of the light source when the first filter exits from the optical path, and is mainly the excitation wavelength of the photosensitizer. And a second filter that allows only the light in the region to pass.

Further, when the illumination light irradiating means, the third image pickup means, and the third image display means are provided, it is more preferable that the third image pickup means and the second image pickup means be provided. The image pickup means is common.

Further, when the illumination light irradiation means, the third image pickup means, and the third image display means are provided, more preferably, as described in claim 9, the third image display means, It is common to the first and / or second image display means.

[0018]

In the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention having the above-described structure, the fluorescent light image of the living body is picked up and displayed by the excitation light irradiation means, the first image pickup means and the first image display means. You can Then, in parallel with this, the excitation light reflection image of the living body can be picked up and displayed by the second image pickup means and the second image display means.

Therefore, the operator or the like can confirm the state of the living body and the positional relationship between the living body and the tip portion of the light irradiation / imaging means and the living body by observing the excitation light reflection image while capturing the fluorescence image. Therefore, the safety of the living body is ensured even if the excitation light, which has been conventionally irradiated only in a pulsed manner, is continuously irradiated (desirably for 1/60 seconds or more). Then, by continuously irradiating the living body with the excitation light and continuously exposing the living body for a long time, it becomes possible to capture a fluorescent image with high sensitivity.

As described above, the fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention enables high-sensitivity imaging of a fluorescence image by continuous exposure for a long period of time, and is expensive such as the excimer dye laser and the image intensifier described above. Since such a means is basically unnecessary, it can be formed at a relatively low cost.

When the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer is mainly in the blue region, the excitation light irradiating means basically has only to emit light in the blue region. Since the resolution depends on the light in the green region, the resolution of the excitation light reflected image is improved by applying the excitation light emitting means that emits light in the green region as well.

Further, if the first image pickup means is provided with a filter capable of switching a plurality of spectral passage characteristics for fluorescence as described in claim 4, it is possible to obtain the spectral characteristics of fluorescence. .

Further, as described in claim 5, if a common one is used as the first and second image display means and a fluorescence image and an excitation light reflection image are displayed together therewith, an apparatus is obtained. The structure is simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

If the normal image of the living body can be picked up and displayed as described in claim 6, the normal image, which is a color image, can be used for visual observation of the living body. it can.

In such a case, the light sources constituting the illumination light irradiation means and the excitation light irradiation means may be commonly used as described in claim 7, or the third imaging may be performed as described in claim 8. If the means and the second image pickup means are common, or if the third image display means and the first and / or second image display means are common as described in claim 9,
The device configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment is formed as an endoscope, and the light source 10
And a first filter 11 and a second filter 12 selectively inserted in the optical path of the light L emitted from the light source 10.
And a light guide 13 made of an optical fiber.

As shown by the broken line in FIG. 2, the light source 10 emits the light L having a wavelength characteristic over the entire visible region and having a particularly high intensity in the blue region, but after passing through the first filter 11, The wavelength characteristic of the light (illumination light) L1 is shown by a curve a in the figure, and the wavelength characteristic of the light (excitation light) L2 after passing through the second filter 12 is shown by a curve b in the figure. . That is, the first filter 11 has a spectral transmittance characteristic that greatly reduces light in the blue region as shown in FIG. 3, and the second filter 12 mainly has a blue region as shown in FIG. It has a spectral transmittance characteristic of transmitting only the light.

As described above, in this embodiment, the light source 10, the first filter 11 and the light guide 13 constitute the illumination light irradiation means, and the light source 10, the second filter 12 and the light guide 13 constitute the excitation light irradiation means. Are configured.

A tumor 15 is present at a diagnosis site 14 of a living body, and a photosensitizer having a tumor affinity and emitting fluorescence when excited by light is previously absorbed in the diagnosis site 14. For example, porphyrins are used as the photosensitizer. ATX-S1 which is a kind of this porphyrin
The absorption spectrum and the fluorescence spectrum of 0 are shown by a solid line and a broken line in FIG. 5, respectively.

When the diagnostic light 14 is irradiated with the illumination light L1 or the excitation light L2, the light is reflected by the diagnostic light 14 and, particularly, when the excitation light L2 is irradiated, the light is emitted from the photosensitizer. L3 is emitted. In order to detect such light, a condenser lens 20 and an image guide 21 composed of an optical fiber are provided. The image guide 21 is integrated with the tip portion of the light guide 13,
It constitutes an endoscope 30 to be inserted into a body cavity.

Image guide after being condensed by the condenser lens 20
The light L3, L2 (L
1) propagates through the image guide 21 and exits from the other end. The light emitted from the image guide 21 is collimated by the collimator lens 22, a part of the light is reflected by the beam splitter 23, and the rest is transmitted therethrough.

The light transmitted through the beam splitter 23 is condensed by the condenser lens 24, passes through the excitation light cut filter 25a attached to the filter wheel 25, and enters the first image pickup means 26. This first, which is provided for fluorescent image pickup
The image pickup means 26 is composed of, for example, a CCD image pickup plate capable of long-time exposure, and its output is input to the image display means 27 such as a CRT.

As the excitation light cut filter 25a, six filters having different spectral transmittance characteristics are used, and by rotating the filter foil 25, a desired one of the filters is selectively selected. It is designed to be inserted into the optical path. Those 6
The spectral transmittance characteristic of each filter 25a is as shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, for example. Further, in FIG. 6, the fluorescence spectrum of the photosensitizer and the spectrum of the excitation light L2 are also shown by a chain line and a chain line, respectively.

On the other hand, the light reflected by the beam splitter 23 is condensed by the condenser lens 28 and enters the second image pickup means 29. The second image pickup means 29 provided for picking up the normal image and the excitation light reflection image is composed of, for example, a color CCD image pickup plate, and the output thereof is also input to the image display means 27.

The operation of the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus having the above structure will be described below. First, a case of capturing a normal image, that is, an image similar to that of a normal endoscope will be described. In this case, the light source 10 is continuously turned on, and the first filter 11 is inserted in the optical path of the light L emitted from the light source 10. Therefore, the light guide 13 continuously emits the illumination light L1 which is white light whose wavelength characteristic is shown by the curve a in FIG.

This illumination light L1 is reflected by the diagnostic region 14, is condensed by the condenser lens 20 and enters the image guide 21,
It propagates there and exits from the fiber end. The illumination light L1 emitted from the image guide 21 and reflected by the beam splitter 23 is condensed by the condenser lens 28 and enters the second image pickup means 29. Then, the normal color image of the diagnostic region 14 is picked up by the second image pickup means 29, and the normal color image A is displayed on the image display means 27.

Next, the case of capturing a fluorescent image will be described. Also in this case, the light source 10 is continuously turned on (for at least 1/60 second or more), and the second filter 12 is inserted in the optical path of the light L emitted from the light source 10. Therefore, the light guide 13 continuously emits the excitation light L2 having the wavelength characteristic indicated by the curve b in FIG.

Diagnostic site 14 that has been irradiated with this excitation light L2
Emits fluorescence L3 from the above-mentioned photosensitizer. The fluorescence L3 is condensed by the condenser lens 20, enters the image guide 21, propagates there, and is emitted from the fiber end. The fluorescence L3 emitted from the image guide 21 and transmitted through the beam splitter 23 is condensed by the condenser lens 24 and enters the first image pickup means 26. So this first
The fluorescent image of the diagnostic region 14 is captured by the image capturing means 26, and this fluorescent image B is displayed on the image display means 27. Since the photosensitizer has a tumor affinity, basically only the tumor part is shown as a fluorescence image.

Here, the excitation light L2 is reflected at the diagnostic region 14, follows the same optical path as the fluorescence L3, and a part of it passes through the beam splitter 23 together with the fluorescence L3. The excitation light L2 is an excitation light cut filter. Cut by 25a.

Further, six filters 25a having different spectral transmittance characteristics are sequentially inserted in the optical path of the fluorescent light L3, and the fluorescent image in each case is displayed on the image display means 27. It is also possible to ask.

As described above, a part of the excitation light L2, which is reflected by the diagnostic region 14 and follows the same optical path as the fluorescence L3, is reflected by the beam splitter 23. The excitation light L2 is condensed by the condenser lens 28 and enters the second image pickup means 29. Then, the excitation light reflection image of the diagnostic region 14 is picked up by the second image pickup means 29, and the excitation light reflection image C is displayed on the image display means 27.

Therefore, the operator or the like observes the excitation light reflection image C displayed on the image display means 27 while capturing the fluorescence image B, and thereby the state of the diagnosis region 14 or the endoscope 30. Since the positional relationship between the tip part and the diagnostic site 14 can be confirmed,
Even if the excitation light L2 is continuously emitted, the safety of the living body is ensured. Then, by continuously irradiating the excitation light L2 in this way, it becomes possible to perform continuous exposure for a long time by the first imaging means 26 and capture a fluorescent image with high sensitivity.

In this embodiment, since the excitation light L2 that emits not only the light in the blue region that excites the photosensitizer but also the light in the green region is used, the resolution of the excitation light reflection image C is set for the reason described above. Is increased.

Further, in this embodiment, the common image display means 27 is used for displaying the fluorescence image B and the excitation light reflection image C. However, dedicated image display means are used for displaying both of these images. It doesn't matter. However, according to the present embodiment, the device structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

Further, in the present invention, it is not always necessary to take the normal image A and display it. When the normal image A is picked up and displayed in this way, a common light source 10 is used as each of the light sources forming the illumination light irradiation means and the excitation light irradiation means, or the normal image and the excitation light reflected image are picked up. The common image pickup means 29 is used, or the normal image A,
Although it is not always necessary to use the common image display means 27 for displaying the fluorescence image B or the excitation light reflection image C, it is preferable to do so because the device configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

Next, a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment is incorporated in a surgical microscope 50. Since this surgical microscope 50 is a binocular microscope, among the constituent elements described below,
Those for the right eye are indicated by adding "R" after the number, and those for the left eye are indicated by adding "L" after the number.

The surgical microscope 50 has an objective lens 51, zoom mechanisms 52R and 52L, relay lenses 53R and 53L, prisms 54R and 54L, and eyepieces 55R and 55L. Beam splitters 56R and 56L are respectively arranged between the zoom mechanism 52R and the relay lens 53R and between the zoom mechanism 52L and the relay lens 53L. Eyepiece 55
Microscopic images observed through R and 55L are joined by the light transmitted through these beam splitters 56R and 56L.

A relay lens 57R, a mirror 58R, a condenser lens 59R, an excitation light cut filter 60, and a first image pickup means 61 are arranged in the optical path of the light reflected by the beam splitter 56R for the right eye. The first image pickup means 61 provided for picking up a fluorescent image is composed of, for example, a CCD image pickup plate capable of long-time exposure, and its output is input to the image display means 62 such as a CRT.

The relay lens 57L and the mirror 58 are provided in the optical path of the light reflected by the left-eye beam splitter 56L.
L, a condenser lens 59L, and a second image pickup means 63 are arranged. The second image pickup means 63 provided for picking up the normal image and the excitation light reflection image is composed of, for example, a color CCD image pickup plate, and the output thereof is also inputted to the image display means 62.

In this embodiment, a dedicated white lamp 65 is provided as an illumination light irradiation means for observing and capturing a normal image. This white lamp 65 is connected to the power supply 66,
The drive is controlled by the light source controller 67. On the other hand, a mercury lamp is used as a light source that constitutes the excitation light irradiation means.
68 are provided. The mercury lamp 68 is connected to a power source 69, and its drive is controlled by the light source controller 67. Further, a shutter 80 driven by a shutter drive device 81 is appropriately inserted in the optical path of the light emitted from the mercury lamp 68. The light source controller 67 operates based on a command from the computer 70.

The mercury lamp 68 emits the excitation light L2 containing much light in the blue region. The excitation light L2 enters the two-branch optical fibers 71, 71, propagates inside them, and exits from each fiber end. Lens units 72, 72 and interference filters 73, 73 for transmitting only light in the blue region are attached to the ends of these fibers. The fiber end is the excitation light L2 emitted from the fiber end.
However, it is arranged so that the exposed diagnostic region 74 is favorably irradiated from two directions.

As described above, the white lamp is used in this embodiment.
65, a power source 66 and a light source controller 67 constitute illumination light irradiation means, and a mercury lamp 68, a power source 69, and a light source controller 6
7, 2-branch optical fiber 71, 71, lens unit 72, 72
And the interference filters 73, 73 compose excitation light irradiation means.

The operation of the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus having the above-mentioned structure will be described below. First, the case of capturing a normal image will be described. In this case, light source controller 67
Is turned on, and the white lamp 65 is continuously turned on. The white light (illumination light) L1 emitted from the white lamp 65 illuminates the diagnosis site 74.

The illumination light L1 is reflected by the diagnostic region 74 and enters the surgical microscope 50 through the objective lens 51. Therefore, the microscope image of the diagnostic site 74 can be visually observed with the surgical microscope 50. Further, a part of the illumination light L1 reflected by the diagnosis region 74 is reflected by the beam splitter 56L, is condensed by the condenser lens 59L, and is second imaging means 63.
Incident on. Then, the normal color image of the diagnostic region 74 is picked up by the second image pickup means 63, and the normal color image A is displayed on the image display means 62.

When the normal image is picked up, the power source 69 is also turned off.
The mercury lamp 68 is continuously turned on after being set to N, and the excitation light L2 emitted from the mercury lamp 68 is released by the shutter 80.
It is blocked by and is not incident on the two-branch optical fibers 71, 71.

Next, the case of capturing a fluorescent image will be described. In this case, the power source 66 is turned off by the light source controller 67.
The shutter drive device 81 is activated by the light source controller 67 to set the shutter 80 to the excitation light L2.
Is moved to a position where it does not shut off. Then, the excitation light L2 is incident on the two-branched optical fibers 71, 71, and the excitation light L2 emitted from them is applied to the diagnostic site 74 which has previously absorbed the above-mentioned photosensitive substance. Fluorescence L3 due to the photosensitizer is emitted from the diagnostic region 74 that has been irradiated with the excitation light L2.

This fluorescence L3 enters the surgical microscope 50 through the objective lens 51, is reflected by the beam splitter 56R, is condensed by the condenser lens 59R, and is first image pickup means 61.
Incident on. Then, the fluorescent image of the diagnostic region 74 is picked up by the first image pickup means 61, and the fluorescent image B is displayed by the image display means.
Displayed at 62. The excitation light L2 is reflected by the diagnostic region 74, follows the same optical path as the fluorescence L3, and a part thereof is reflected by the beam splitter 56R together with the fluorescence L3. The excitation light L2 is cut by the excitation light cut filter 60. .

Also, the excitation light L incident on the surgical microscope 50 is
A part of 2 is reflected by the beam splitter 56L, is condensed by the condenser lens 59L, and is incident on the second image pickup means 63. Then, the excitation light reflection image of the diagnostic region 74 is picked up by the second image pickup means 63, and the excitation light reflection image C is displayed on the image display means 62. In this embodiment, the excitation light reflection image C is displayed on the image display means 62 at the position where the color normal image A is displayed.

As described above, also in this case, the operator or the like observes the excitation light reflection image C displayed on the image display means 62 while capturing the fluorescence image B, and thereby the state of the diagnostic region 74 is confirmed. Therefore, the safety of the living body is ensured even if the excitation light L2 is continuously irradiated. Then, by continuously irradiating the excitation light L2 in this way, it becomes possible to perform continuous exposure for a long time by the first imaging means 61 and capture a fluorescent image with high sensitivity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing wavelength characteristics of excitation light and illumination light in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing spectral transmittance characteristics of the illumination light filter used in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the spectral transmittance characteristics of the excitation light filter used in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an excitation light absorption spectrum and a fluorescence spectrum of a photosensitizer.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the spectral transmittance characteristics of the excitation light cut filter used in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols] 10 Light source 11 First filter 12 Second filter 13 Light guide 14, 74 Diagnostic site 20, 24, 28, 59R, 59L Condensing lens 21 Image guide 22 Collimator lens 23, 56R, 56L Beam Splitter 25 Filter foil 25a, 60 Excitation light cut filter 26, 61 First imaging means 27, 62 Image display means 29, 63 Second imaging means 30 Endoscope 50 Surgical microscope 65 White lamp 66 White lamp power supply 67 Light source Controller 68 Mercury lamp 69 Mercury lamp power supply 70 Computer 71 Two-branch optical fiber 72 Lens unit 73 Interference filter 80 Shutter 81 Shutter drive device L1 Illumination light L2 Excitation light L3 Fluorescence

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. Excitation light irradiation means for continuously irradiating an organism absorbing a photosensitizer that emits fluorescence with excitation light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer; and continuously emitting the fluorescence. First imaging means for detecting a fluorescent image of a living body by detecting the fluorescent image of the living body, first image display means for receiving the output of the first imaging means and displaying the fluorescent image, and excitation reflected by the living body A second image pickup means for detecting light and picking up an excitation light reflection image of the living body; and a second image display means for receiving the output of the second image pickup means and displaying the excitation light reflection image. A fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus characterized by being provided. 2. The continuous irradiation of the excitation light by the excitation light irradiation means and the continuous detection of the fluorescence by the first imaging means are performed over a time period of 1/60 seconds or more. Item 1. The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus according to Item 1. 3. When the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer is mainly in the blue region, the excitation light irradiation means is configured to emit excitation light in the wavelength region mainly including the blue region and the green region. Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above.
The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus described. 4. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the first image pickup means includes a filter capable of switching a plurality of spectral pass characteristics with respect to the fluorescence.
The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus according to the item. 5. The fluorescence image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first image display means and the second image display means are common. 6. An illumination light irradiating unit that illuminates the living body with illumination light when the fluorescent image is not captured, and detects illumination light reflected by the living body to capture a normal image of the living body. The third image pickup means and a third image display means for receiving the output of the third image pickup means and displaying the normal image are provided. Fluorescent image diagnostic device. 7. The illumination light irradiating means emits light having a wavelength characteristic that has a particularly high intensity in the excitation wavelength region of the light-sensitive substance over almost the entire visible region, and is arranged so as to be freely retractable in the optical path of this light. And a first filter for reducing light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer, wherein the excitation light irradiating means substitutes for the light source and when the first filter exits the optical path. 7. The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus is arranged in the optical path and mainly comprises a second filter which allows only light in the excitation wavelength region of the photosensitizer to pass therethrough. 8. The image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the third image pickup device and the second image pickup device are common.
The fluorescent image diagnostic apparatus described. 9. The fluorescence image according to claim 6, wherein the third image display means and the first and / or second image display means are common. Diagnostic device.