JPWO2016067802A1 - Capsule-type endoscope guidance system, guidance device, and method of operating guidance device - Google Patents

Abstract

The guidance device 20 includes a magnetic field generation unit 25 that generates a magnetic field MG for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 and guidance instruction information that changes the position or posture of the capsule endoscope 10 according to an operation performed from the outside. Based on the operation input unit 24 to be input, the guidance control unit 261 that controls the operation of the magnetic field generation unit 25 based on the guidance instruction information, and the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope 10 based on the guidance instruction information. A frame rate calculation unit 262 to calculate, and a transmission unit 28 that transmits to the capsule endoscope 10 an instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope 10 to the imaging frame rate calculated by the frame rate calculation unit 262. With. Thereby, the guidance device 20 that can change the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope 10 at an appropriate timing is provided.

Description

  The present invention relates to a guidance device for guiding a capsule endoscope introduced into a subject, a capsule endoscope guidance system, and a method for operating the guidance device.

  In the endoscope field, a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and performs imaging has been developed. The capsule endoscope is provided with an imaging function and a wireless communication function inside a capsule-shaped casing formed in a size that can be introduced into the digestive tract of a subject, and has been swallowed by the subject. Thereafter, imaging is performed while moving in the digestive tract by peristaltic movement or the like, and image data of an image inside the organ of the subject (hereinafter also referred to as an in-vivo image) is sequentially wirelessly transmitted. The wirelessly transmitted image data is received by a receiving device provided outside the subject, and further taken into an image display device such as a workstation and subjected to predetermined image processing. Thereby, the in-vivo image of the subject can be displayed as a still image or a moving image.

  In recent years, a guidance system has been proposed that guides a capsule endoscope introduced into a subject by operating it from outside the subject. For example, in Patent Document 1, a permanent magnet is provided inside a capsule endoscope, and a magnetic field generation unit such as an electromagnet or a permanent magnet is provided in the guidance device, so that the capsule type endoscope (eg, stomach) There is disclosed a guidance system for guiding a capsule endoscope with a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generation unit in a state where the endoscope is introduced together with a liquid such as water and the capsule endoscope is suspended in the liquid.

  As described above, the capsule endoscope can be guided by the user's operation so that the same inspection as that using a general wired endoscope can be performed by the capsule endoscope. Is expected to be.

JP 2010-17554 A

  By the way, when observing the inside of a subject with a capsule endoscope, it is preferable to perform imaging at an appropriate frame rate according to an observation site (organ). For example, since the capsule endoscope passes through the esophagus at high speed, it is necessary to increase the imaging frame rate in order to sufficiently observe the esophagus. On the other hand, since a capsule endoscope stays in the stomach for a long time and does not pass as fast as the esophagus, a very high frame rate is not necessary. For this reason, if the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope is always set to a high value that can correspond to the esophagus, the number of images that are wasted is increased depending on the observation site. Furthermore, since the capsule endoscope operates using a built-in battery as a power source, in this case, the battery may run out before the end of the examination.

  In the case where the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope is made variable according to the observation site, conventionally, the imaging frame rate is changed based on the result of the organ discrimination process on the image acquired by the capsule endoscope I was doing control. However, in such a control method, an instruction to change the imaging frame rate is output after the capsule endoscope moves to the next observation site or after the field of view is directed to the next observation site. A time lag occurs between the timing at which the imaging frame rate should be changed (the moment when the imaging frame rate is changed) and the timing at which the imaging frame rate is actually changed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and when guiding a capsule endoscope introduced into a subject by a user operation, the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope is set at an appropriate timing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a guidance device that can be changed, a capsule endoscope guidance system, and a method for operating the guidance device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a guidance device according to the present invention is a guidance device for guiding a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and images the inside of the subject. Guiding means for guiding the capsule endoscope, an instruction information input unit for inputting guidance instruction information for changing the position or posture of the capsule endoscope according to an operation performed from the outside, and the guidance instruction A guidance control unit that controls the operation of the guiding unit based on the information; a frame rate calculation unit that calculates an imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope based on the guidance instruction information; and the capsule endoscope. A transmission unit that transmits an instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate in the mirror to the imaging frame rate calculated by the frame rate calculation unit to the capsule endoscope. The features.

  In the guidance device, an initial value of an imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope is set in advance, and the frame rate calculation unit, when the guidance instruction information is input from the instruction information input unit, A value higher than the initial value is calculated as the imaging frame rate.

  In the guidance device, the capsule endoscope includes a permanent magnet, the guidance means generates a magnetic field that acts on the permanent magnet, and the guidance control unit changes the magnetic field based on the guidance instruction information. By changing the position or posture of the capsule endoscope, the frame rate calculation unit calculates the imaging frame rate so that the value increases as the temporal change rate of the magnetic field increases. It is characterized by that.

  In the guidance device, the capsule endoscope includes a permanent magnet, the guidance means generates a magnetic field that acts on the permanent magnet, and the guidance control unit changes the magnetic field based on the guidance instruction information. By changing the position or posture of the capsule endoscope, the frame rate calculation unit causes the imaging frame rate to increase stepwise as the temporal change rate of the magnetic field increases. Is calculated.

  In the guidance device, the guidance instruction information for changing the position of the capsule endoscope is input to the frame rate calculation unit when the guidance instruction information for changing the posture of the capsule endoscope is input. The imaging frame rate is calculated so that the value is larger than that in the case where the image is captured.

  In the guidance device, the frame rate calculation unit may receive the guidance instruction information for translating the capsule endoscope in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the visual field of the capsule endoscope. The imaging frame rate is calculated such that the value is larger than when guidance instruction information for translating the endoscope in the direction of the visual field is input.

  A capsule endoscope guidance system according to the present invention includes the guidance device and the capsule endoscope, and the capsule endoscope captures an image of the inside of the subject, and the transmission A receiving unit that receives the instruction signal transmitted from a unit; and a control unit that controls an imaging frame rate in the imaging unit according to the instruction signal received by the receiving unit.

  An operation method of a guidance device according to the present invention is an operation method of a guidance device for guiding a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and images the inside of the subject, and the position of the capsule endoscope Alternatively, a guidance control step for controlling the operation of guidance means for guiding the capsule endoscope based on guidance instruction information for changing the posture, and an imaging frame in the capsule endoscope based on the guidance instruction information A frame rate calculating step for calculating a rate, and a transmitting step for transmitting to the capsule endoscope an instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope to the imaging frame rate calculated in the frame rate calculating step. It is characterized by including these.

  According to the present invention, the instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope is transmitted from the guidance device to the capsule endoscope based on the instruction information for moving or changing the posture of the capsule endoscope. At the time when the capsule endoscope starts moving or changing the field of view, the imaging frame rate is already changed. Therefore, the time lag between the timing at which the imaging frame rate should be changed and the timing at which the imaging frame rate is actually changed can be eliminated, and the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope can be changed at an appropriate timing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a capsule endoscope guidance system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal structure of the capsule endoscope shown in FIG. FIG. 3A is a schematic front view illustrating a configuration example of the operation input unit illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3B is a schematic side view illustrating a configuration example of the operation input unit illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the movement of the capsule endoscope guided by the operation on each component of the operation input unit shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the magnetic field generation unit illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the capsule endoscope shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the guidance device shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the capsule endoscope shown in FIG. 1 is introduced into a subject. FIG. 9 is a graph for explaining the operation of the control unit when the guidance instruction information for moving the capsule endoscope in the x direction is input. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of guiding means in the capsule endoscope guiding system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of guiding means in the capsule endoscope guiding system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, a guidance device, a capsule endoscope guidance system, and a method for operating the guidance device according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, capsule endoscopes that are orally introduced into a subject and image the inside of the subject (intraluminal) are illustrated as an example of a capsule endoscope. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments. That is, the present invention relates to various endoscopes that have a capsule type, such as a capsule endoscope that performs imaging while moving in the lumen from the esophagus to the anus of the subject, and that is introduced into the subject and performs imaging. It is possible to apply to.

  Moreover, in the following description, each figure has shown only the shape, magnitude | size, and positional relationship roughly so that the content of this invention can be understood. Therefore, the present invention is not limited only to the shape, size, and positional relationship illustrated in each drawing. In the description of the drawings, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a capsule endoscope guidance system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a capsule endoscope guidance system 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a capsule endoscope 10 and a guidance device 20 that guides the capsule endoscope 10 introduced into a subject. With. In the first embodiment, as a guidance method of the capsule endoscope 10, a capsule is provided by providing a permanent magnet inside the capsule endoscope 10 and applying a magnetic field MG generated by the guiding device 20 to the permanent magnet. A method of guiding the mold endoscope 10 is used.

  The capsule endoscope 10 is introduced into the subject together with a predetermined liquid by oral ingestion or the like, then moves inside the digestive tract and is finally discharged out of the subject. Meanwhile, the capsule endoscope 10 drifts in the liquid inside the organ (for example, inside the stomach), images the inside of the subject while being guided by the magnetic field MG, sequentially generates image data of the in-vivo image, and wirelessly transmits it.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the internal structure of the capsule endoscope 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the capsule endoscope 10 and the capsule casing 100 which is an exterior case formed in a size that can be easily introduced into the organ of a subject, and imaging that captures subjects in different directions. The processing unit 11A, 11B and the signals input from the imaging units 11A, 11B are processed, the control unit 15 that controls each component of the capsule endoscope 10, and the signal processed by the control unit 15 is capsule-type. A wireless communication unit 16 that wirelessly transmits to the outside of the endoscope 10 and receives an instruction signal or the like transmitted from the outside, a power supply unit 17 that supplies power to each component of the capsule endoscope 10, and guidance And a permanent magnet 18 for enabling guidance by the device 20.

  The capsule casing 100 includes a cylindrical casing 101 and dome-shaped casings 102 and 103, and is formed by closing both side opening ends of the cylindrical casing 101 with the dome-shaped casings 102 and 103. The cylindrical casing 101 is a colored casing that is substantially opaque to visible light. On the other hand, the dome-shaped casings 102 and 103 are dome-shaped optical members that are transparent to light of a predetermined wavelength band such as visible light. Such a capsule housing 100 encloses the imaging units 11A and 11B, the control unit 15, the wireless communication unit 16, the power supply unit 17, and the permanent magnet 18 in a liquid-tight manner.

  The imaging unit 11A includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or an LD (Laser Diode), and the like. The imaging unit 11A emits illumination light such as white light, an optical system 13A such as a condenser lens, and a CMOS image sensor or CCD. And an image pickup device 14A made of the same. The illumination unit 12A irradiates the subject in the imaging field of the imaging device 14A with illumination light through the dome-shaped casing 102. The optical system 13A collects the reflected light from the imaging field and forms an image on the imaging surface of the imaging element 14A. The image sensor 14A converts the reflected light (optical signal) from the imaging field received on the imaging surface into an electrical signal and outputs it as an image signal.

  Similar to the imaging unit 11A, the imaging unit 11B includes an illumination unit 12B such as an LED or an LD, an optical system 13B such as a condenser lens, and an imaging element 14B such as a CMOS image sensor or a CCD. The subject in the imaging field is imaged through the body 103.

  The control unit 15 controls each operation of the imaging units 11A and 11B and the wireless communication unit 16, and controls input / output of signals between these components. Specifically, the control unit 15 sets the imaging frame rate in the imaging units 11A and 11B, and images the subject in the imaging field illuminated by the illuminating unit 12A onto the imaging element 14A at the set imaging frame rate. At the same time, the imaging element 14B images the subject in the imaging field illuminated by the illumination unit 12B. Then, the control unit 15 performs predetermined signal processing on the image signals output from the imaging elements 14A and 14B. Further, the control unit 15 causes the wireless communication unit 16 to wirelessly transmit the image signals sequentially in time series. In addition, the control unit 15 switches the imaging frame rate in the imaging units 11A and 11B according to the instruction signal transmitted from the outside and received by the wireless communication unit 16.

  The wireless communication unit 16 includes an antenna 16a for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. The wireless communication unit 16 acquires from the control unit 15 an image signal of the in-vivo image generated by the imaging units 11A and 11B imaging the subject, and performs a modulation process on the image signal to generate a wireless signal. And transmitted to the guidance device 20 via the antenna 16a. Further, the wireless communication unit 16 receives the instruction signal wirelessly transmitted from the guidance device 20 via the antenna 16 a and inputs the instruction signal to the control unit 15.

  The power supply unit 17 is a power storage unit such as a button-type battery or a capacitor, and includes a switch unit such as a magnetic switch or an optical switch. When the power supply unit 17 is configured to have a magnetic switch, the power supply unit 17 switches the on / off state of the power supply by a magnetic field applied from the outside. The power supply unit 17 supplies power of the power storage unit to each component (the imaging units 11A and 11B, the control unit 15, and the wireless communication unit 16) of the capsule endoscope 10 when in the on state. Sometimes, power supply to each component of the capsule endoscope 10 is stopped.

  The permanent magnet 18 is for enabling the capsule endoscope 10 to be guided by the magnetic field MG generated by the guiding device 20, and is fixedly arranged in a predetermined direction inside the capsule casing 100. . In the first embodiment, the permanent magnet 18 is arranged so that the magnetization direction indicated by the arrow is orthogonal to the long axis La of the capsule endoscope 10. The permanent magnet 18 operates following the magnetic field MG applied from the outside, and as a result, guidance of the capsule endoscope 10 by the guidance device 20 is realized.

  Referring to FIG. 1 again, the guidance device 20 performs wireless communication with the capsule endoscope 10 and receives a wireless signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope 10; The position and orientation detection unit 22 for detecting the position of the capsule endoscope 10 in the subject based on the received radio signal, and the radio signal received by the reception unit 21 acquire an image signal, A predetermined signal processing is performed to display the in-vivo image on the screen, and the display unit 23 that displays the position of the capsule endoscope 10 in the subject on the screen, and instructions and information for the capsule endoscope guidance system 1 An operation input unit 24 that receives an input, a magnetic field generation unit 25 that generates a magnetic field MG for guiding the capsule endoscope 10, a control unit 26 that controls these units, and the capsule endoscope 10. A storage unit 27 for storing image data and various kinds of information of the acquired in-vivo images, and a transmission unit 28 that wirelessly transmits an instruction signal to the capsule endoscope 10.

  The receiving unit 21 includes a plurality of receiving antennas 21a, and sequentially receives wireless signals transmitted from the capsule endoscope 10 via these receiving antennas 21a. The receiving unit 21 selects the antenna having the highest received electric field strength from these receiving antennas 21a, extracts an image signal by performing demodulation processing or the like on the radio signal received through the selected antenna, The data is output to the display unit 23.

  The position and orientation detection unit 22 detects the position and orientation of the capsule endoscope 10 in the subject based on the intensity of the radio signal received by the reception unit 21, and information on the position of the capsule endoscope 10 (Hereinafter referred to as position information) and information related to posture (hereinafter referred to as posture information) are generated and output. As an example, the position and orientation detection unit 22 appropriately sets an initial value of the position of the capsule endoscope 10, and estimates the position by the Gauss-Newton method based on the intensity distribution of the radio signal received by each receiving antenna 21a. The position of the capsule endoscope 10 is obtained by repeating the process of calculating the value until the amount of deviation between the calculated estimated value and the previous estimated value is equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-283001). No. publication).

  Note that the method for detecting the position and orientation of the capsule endoscope 10 is not limited to the method described above. For example, a coil for generating a magnetic field is provided in the capsule endoscope 10 and a plurality of sense coils for detecting the magnetic field generated by the coils are provided on the guidance device 20 side, and the amplitude of the magnetic field detected by each sense coil and Based on the phase, the position and orientation of the capsule endoscope 10 may be detected (see, for example, International Publication No. 2009/031456).

  The display unit 23 includes various displays such as a liquid crystal display, and displays in-vivo images based on the image signal output from the reception unit 21, position information or posture information output from the position and posture detection unit 22, and other various information. indicate.

  The operation input unit 24 is an input device including a joystick, a console with various buttons and various switches, a keyboard, and the like, and a guidance instruction for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 according to an operation performed from the outside. This is an instruction information input unit that inputs information, an instruction to the guidance device 20, and a signal representing the information to the control unit 26. Here, the guidance instruction information is instruction information for changing the position and posture of the capsule endoscope 10 that is the target of the guidance operation. Specifically, the guidance instruction information is set in the horizontal direction or This includes information related to the operation of translating in the vertical direction, the operation of rotating the capsule endoscope 10 about an axis orthogonal to the long axis La, the operation of rotating the capsule endoscope 10 about the vertical axis, and the like.

  3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example in which the operation input unit 24 is configured using two joysticks 31 and 32. 3A is a front view of the operation input unit 24, and FIG. 3B is a right side view of the operation input unit 24. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the movement of the capsule endoscope 10 that is guided by an operation on each component of the operation input unit 24.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the joysticks 31 and 32 are devices for three-dimensionally operating the guidance of the capsule endoscope 10 by the magnetic field generation unit 25. The joysticks 31 and 32 can be tilted forward and backward and in the left-right direction.

  The forward and backward tilt directions indicated by the arrow Y11j of the joystick 31 correspond to the tilting guidance direction in which the head of the capsule endoscope 10 is swung with respect to the vertical axis (z axis) as indicated by the arrow Y11 in FIG. To do. When the tilt operation of the arrow Y11j is performed on the joystick 31, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for tilting the capsule endoscope 10 by a direction and an angle corresponding to the tilt operation to the control unit 26. .

  The left-right tilt direction indicated by the arrow Y12j of the joystick 31 corresponds to the rotation guiding direction for rotating the capsule endoscope 10 about the z axis as indicated by the arrow Y12 in FIG. When the tilt operation of the arrow Y12j is performed on the joystick 31, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for rotating the capsule endoscope 10 by a direction and an angle corresponding to the tilt operation to the control unit 26.

  The forward and backward tilt directions indicated by the arrow Y13j of the joystick 32 are the horizontal backward guiding direction for translating the capsule endoscope 10 in the direction in which the long axis La is projected onto the horizontal plane Hp, as indicated by the arrow Y13 in FIG. Corresponds to the horizontal forward guidance direction. When the tilt operation of the arrow Y13j is performed on the joystick 32, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for translating the capsule endoscope 10 by a direction and a distance according to the tilt operation to the control unit 26.

  The horizontal tilt direction indicated by the arrow Y14j of the joystick 32 is a horizontal light guide that translates the capsule endoscope 10 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the long axis La is projected onto the horizontal plane Hp, as indicated by the arrow Y14 in FIG. Corresponds to direction or horizontal left guiding direction. When the tilt operation of the arrow Y14j is performed on the joystick 32, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for translating the capsule endoscope 10 by a direction and a distance according to the tilt operation to the control unit 26.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, an up button 34 </ b> U and a down button 34 </ b> B are provided on the back surface of the joystick 31. When the up button 34U is pressed, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for moving the capsule endoscope 10 vertically upward to the control unit 26. When the down button 34B is pressed, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for moving the capsule endoscope 10 vertically downward to the control unit 26.

  On the upper part of the joystick 32, an approach button 35 is provided. When the approach button 35 is pressed, the operation input unit 24 inputs guidance instruction information for bringing the imaging unit 11A side of the capsule endoscope 10 close to the imaging target of the imaging unit 11A to the control unit 26.

  The operation input unit 24 may further include an input device including various operation buttons, a keyboard, and the like, in addition to the joysticks 31 and 32.

  The magnetic field generation unit 25 is a guiding unit that generates a magnetic field MG for changing the position and posture of the capsule endoscope 10 introduced into the subject. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the magnetic field generation unit 25. In the first embodiment, the magnetic field generation unit 25 includes an extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a that generates the magnetic field MG and a driving unit that translates and rotates the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a as a planar position changing unit 25b, a vertical position changing unit 25c, and an elevation angle changing. Part 25d and turning angle changing part 25e. Such a magnetic field generation unit 25 is installed, for example, under a bed or the like on which a subject is placed, and operates under the control of a guidance control unit 261 described later.

  The extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a is preferably realized by a bar magnet having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is capsule-shaped in a region obtained by projecting one surface PL of four surfaces parallel to its magnetization direction onto a horizontal plane (xy plane). The endoscope 10 is restrained.

  The plane position changing unit 25b translates the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a in the horizontal plane (x direction and y direction). Thereby, the capsule endoscope 10 restrained by the magnetic field MG moves in the horizontal plane.

  The vertical position changing unit 25c translates the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a in the vertical direction (z direction). Thereby, the strength (magnetic attraction) of the magnetic field MG acting on the capsule endoscope 10 changes, and the capsule endoscope 10 constrained by the magnetic field MG moves in the vertical direction.

  The elevation angle changing unit 25d changes the angle of the magnetization direction with respect to the horizontal plane by rotating the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a in the vertical plane including the magnetization direction of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a. In other words, the elevation angle changing unit 25d rotates the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a with respect to an axis parallel to the plane PL and orthogonal to the magnetization direction and passing through the center of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a. Thereby, the angle (elevation angle) with respect to the horizontal plane of the capsule endoscope 10 (long axis La) constrained by the magnetic field MG changes.

  The turning angle changing unit 25e rotates the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a with respect to the vertical axis passing through the center of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a. As a result, the angle (turning angle) around the vertical axis of the capsule endoscope 10 (long axis La) constrained by the magnetic field MG changes.

  As described above, the external endoscope permanent magnet 25a is translated and rotated by the plane position changing unit 25b, the vertical position changing unit 25c, the elevation angle changing unit 25d, and the turning angle changing unit 25e, thereby making the capsule endoscope 10 x, y , Z can be translated with three degrees of freedom, and the posture of the capsule endoscope 10 can be changed with two degrees of freedom of the elevation angle and the turning angle.

  The control unit 26 includes a guidance control unit 261 that controls the operation of the magnetic field generation unit 25, and a frame rate calculation unit 262 that calculates an imaging frame rate in the imaging units 11 </ b> A and 11 </ b> B of the capsule endoscope 10.

  The guidance control unit 261 operates the magnetic field generation unit 25 based on the position information and posture information of the capsule endoscope 10 captured from the position and posture detection unit 22 and the guidance instruction information input from the operation input unit 24. The control for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 to a position and posture desired by the user is performed by outputting a control signal for controlling the control.

  Specifically, the guidance control unit 261 calculates the guidance direction on the absolute coordinate system of the tip of the capsule endoscope 10 corresponding to the tilt direction of the joystick 32 based on the guidance instruction information, and tilts the joystick 32. The induction amount corresponding to the amount is calculated. Then, the guidance control unit 261 controls the plane position changing unit 25b so that the capsule endoscope 10 translates in the horizontal plane according to the calculated guidance amount in the calculated guidance direction, thereby generating a magnetic field. The magnetic field MG generated by the unit 25 is changed.

  The guidance control unit 261 calculates the guidance direction on the absolute coordinate system of the tip of the capsule endoscope 10 corresponding to the up button 34U or the down button 34B of the joystick 31 based on the guidance instruction information. The amount of guidance according to the pressing strength of the button is calculated. Then, the guidance control unit 261 controls the vertical position changing unit 25c so that the capsule endoscope 10 translates in the vertical direction according to the calculated guidance amount in the calculated guidance direction, thereby generating a magnetic field. The magnetic field MG generated by the unit 25 is changed.

  Furthermore, the guidance control unit 261 calculates the guidance direction on the absolute coordinate system of the tip of the capsule endoscope 10 corresponding to the tilt direction of the joystick 31 based on the guidance instruction information, and determines the tilt amount of the joystick 31. Calculate the corresponding induction amount. Then, the guidance control unit 261 controls the elevation angle changing unit 25d and the turning angle changing unit 25e so that the elevation angle and the turning angle of the capsule endoscope 10 change according to the calculated guidance amount in the calculated guidance direction. Thus, the magnetic field MG generated by the magnetic field generator 25 is changed.

  When a control signal for controlling the magnetic field generation unit 25 is output from the guidance control unit 261, the frame rate calculation unit 262 applies to the imaging units 11A and 11B of the capsule endoscope 10 based on the control signal. The imaging frame rate to be set is calculated, and an instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope 10 is generated.

  The storage unit 27 is realized using a storage medium that stores information in a rewritable manner such as a flash memory or a hard disk. In addition to the in-vivo image data based on the image signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope 10, the storage unit 27 stores information such as various programs and various parameters for the control unit 26 to control each unit of the guidance device 20. Remember.

  The transmission unit 28 includes a transmission antenna 28a for transmitting a radio signal. The transmission unit 28 performs modulation processing or the like on the instruction signal generated by the frame rate calculation unit 262 to generate a radio signal, and transmits the radio signal to the capsule endoscope 10.

  Next, the operation of the capsule endoscope guidance system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the capsule endoscope 10. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the guidance device 20. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the capsule endoscope 10 is introduced into the subject. FIG. 9 is a graph for explaining the operation of the control unit 26 when the guidance instruction information for moving the capsule endoscope 10 in the x direction is input from the operation input unit 24. Among these, the horizontal axis t of (a)-(c) of FIG. 9 shows time. Also, the vertical axis x in (a) of FIG. 9 is a value obtained by quantifying the position coordinates of the capsule endoscope 10 in the subject or the posture of the capsule endoscope 10 (for example, an angle with respect to a predetermined axis). Etc.). The vertical axis V in FIG. 9B indicates the output value of the guidance control signal output by the guidance control unit 261 based on the guidance instruction information. The vertical axis FR in FIG. 9C indicates the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope 10.

First, in step S10 shown in FIG. 6, when the capsule endoscope 10 is powered on, the imaging units 11A and 11B capture images at an imaging frame rate FR ₀ (for example, 2 fps) set in advance as an initial value. The operation is started (step S11). In response to this, the wireless communication unit 16 performs predetermined processing on the image signals output from the imaging units 11A and 11B and wirelessly transmits them (step S12).

  Here, normally, the capsule endoscope 10 is introduced into the subject after the power is turned on and the imaging operation is confirmed. In the following, as shown in FIG. 8, the capsule endoscope 10 is introduced into the subject together with a predetermined liquid (for example, water) W, and the capsule endoscope 10 is guided in a state of being suspended in the liquid W. The case where it does is demonstrated.

  On the other hand, when the operation of the guidance device 20 is started in step S20 shown in FIG. 7, the receiving unit 21 receives the image signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope 10 (step S21). In response to this, the display unit 23 displays the in-vivo image by acquiring the image signal from the receiving unit 21 and performing predetermined signal processing (step S22).

  In step S <b> 23, the control unit 26 determines whether guidance instruction information for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 is input from the operation input unit 24. When the guidance instruction information is not input (step S23: No), the operation of the guidance device 20 proceeds to step S28 described later.

  On the other hand, when the guidance instruction information is input (step S23: Yes), the guidance control unit 261 generates a guidance control signal for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 based on the guidance instruction information, It outputs to the rate calculation part 262 and the magnetic field production | generation part 25 (refer step S24 and (b) of FIG. 9). The guidance control signal includes a translation drive signal for translating the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a to change the position of the capsule endoscope 10, and a rotation of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a to change the posture of the capsule endoscope 10. Rotation drive signal to be included. The output value V of these guidance control signals (translation drive signal or rotation drive signal) increases as the operation amount per unit time with respect to the operation input unit 24 increases, that is, the position of the capsule endoscope 10 desired by the user, The larger the amount of change per unit time of the posture, the larger the value in order to increase the temporal change rate of the magnetic field.

  In subsequent step S <b> 25, the frame rate calculation unit 262 calculates the imaging frame rate FR set in the capsule endoscope 10 based on the guidance control signal output from the guidance control unit 261. Specifically, the frame rate calculation unit 262 performs an operation so that the imaging frame rate FR becomes a larger value as the output value V of the guidance control signal is larger. As an example, the imaging frame rate FR is calculated by multiplying the output value V of the guidance control signal by a positive coefficient.

  At this time, the coefficient applied to the output value V may be always constant, or a different value may be used depending on the content of the operation for guiding the capsule endoscope 10. For example, when the posture of the capsule endoscope 10 is changed, the coefficient is preferably larger than when the position of the capsule endoscope 10 is changed. This is because when the posture of the capsule endoscope 10 is changed, the change of the imaging field of view is larger than when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated, so it is preferable to increase the imaging frame rate. It is.

  In addition, when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the imaging field, the coefficient may be larger than that in the case where the capsule endoscope 10 is translated in the direction of the imaging field. Here, the direction of the imaging field is the direction in which the imaging units 11A and 11B (see FIG. 2) are facing, and in the case of FIG. 8, the direction is parallel to the long axis La. This is because when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the imaging field of view, the change in the imaging field of view is larger than when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated in the direction of the imaging field of view. It is because it is preferable to do.

  Further, when a guidance control signal for simultaneously changing the position and posture of the capsule endoscope 10 or a guidance control signal for simultaneously moving the capsule endoscope 10 in a plurality of directions is output, the frame rate The calculation unit 262 calculates an imaging frame rate for each degree of freedom based on each component of the output value V corresponding to the degree of freedom when changing the position and posture of the capsule endoscope 10, and calculates the freedom of these The imaging frame rate FR set for the capsule endoscope 10 is obtained by adding the imaging frame rates for each degree.

Here, in the capsule endoscope 10, it is preferable to predetermine an upper limit value FR _max of a settable imaging frame rate FR. Frame rate calculation portion 262, when the sum of the imaging frame rate corresponding to each degree of freedom exceeds the upper limit value FR _max, the upper limit value FR _max, imaging frame rate is set to the capsule endoscope 10 FR An instruction signal is generated as follows. As an example, when the initial value FR ₀ set for the capsule endoscope 10 is 2 fps, the upper limit value FR _max may be set to about 60 fps.

  In subsequent step S26, the frame rate calculation unit 262 generates an instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate FR calculated in step S25 in the capsule endoscope 10, and causes the transmission unit 28 to transmit this instruction signal.

  In step S13 illustrated in FIG. 6, the capsule endoscope 10 determines whether or not an instruction signal transmitted from the guidance device 20 has been received. When the instruction signal is received (step S13: Yes), the control unit 15 switches the imaging frame rate in the imaging units 11A and 11B according to the received instruction signal (see step S14, (c) of FIG. 9).

  Thereafter, in step S15, the control unit 15 determines whether or not to end imaging. Specifically, a predetermined time or more has elapsed since the capsule endoscope 10 was turned on, the remaining power amount of the power supply unit 17 has become a predetermined value or less, or the guidance device 20 instructs the end of the examination. When the signal to be transmitted is transmitted, it is determined that the imaging is to be ended. When the imaging is not finished (step S15: No), the operation of the capsule endoscope 10 returns to step S11. On the other hand, when the imaging is finished (step S15: Yes), the operation of the capsule endoscope 10 is finished.

  In step S27 following step S26 shown in FIG. 7, the magnetic field generation unit 25 drives the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a in accordance with the guidance control signal output from the guidance control unit 261, and changes the magnetic field MG, whereby the capsule type endoscope The mirror 10 is guided. Here, after the guidance control signal is output from the guidance control unit 261 (see FIG. 9B), an instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate FR is wirelessly transmitted to the capsule endoscope 10, and the imaging frame rate is obtained. While the FR is switched quickly (see FIG. 9C), the position and posture of the capsule endoscope 10 change slowly due to the magnetic field MG that changes according to the movement and rotation of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a. (See (a) in FIG. 9). Therefore, when the capsule endoscope 10 is accelerated or decelerated by the magnetic field MG and is guided to a user-desired position and posture, the imaging frame rate FR has already been switched.

  In subsequent step S <b> 28, the control unit 26 determines whether or not a signal instructing the end of guidance is input from the operation input unit 24. When the signal for instructing the end of guidance is not input (step S28: No), the operation of the guidance device 20 returns to step S21. On the other hand, when the signal instructing the end of guidance is input (step S28: Yes), the operation of the guidance device 20 is terminated.

  When the capsule endoscope 10 does not receive the instruction signal from the guidance device 20 in step S13 (step S13: No), the capsule endoscope 10 subsequently determines whether or not the time during which the instruction signal is not received has continued for a predetermined time or more. Determination is made (step S16). As shown in FIG. 9B, when the guidance control signal is not output from the guidance control unit 261 for the predetermined time Δt or longer, the instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate is not output for the predetermined time Δt or longer.

If the time does not receive the instruction signal continues for a predetermined time or longer (step S16: Yes), the capsule endoscope 10 returns the imaging frame rate to an initial value FR ₀ (step S17, shown in FIG. 9 (c) refer) . Thereafter, the operation of the capsule endoscope 10 proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, when the time during which no instruction signal is received does not continue for a predetermined time or longer (step S16: No), the operation of the capsule endoscope 10 directly proceeds to step S15.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the guidance control signal for guiding the position or posture of the capsule endoscope 10 is output based on the guidance instruction information input from the operation input unit 24. At this time, since the instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate is wirelessly transmitted to the capsule endoscope 10, the magnetic field MG is changed by the operation of the magnetic field generation unit 25 based on the guidance control signal, and the capsule endoscope The imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope 10 can be changed before the 10 is accelerated or decelerated. Thereby, when changing the observation site, it is possible to eliminate the time lag of the change timing of the imaging frame rate with respect to the timing when the capsule endoscope 10 directs the visual field toward the new observation site. Therefore, it is possible to observe the observation site at an appropriate imaging frame rate from the beginning when the capsule endoscope 10 directs the field of view to the new observation site.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, since the value of the imaging frame rate is calculated according to the output value of the guidance control signal, in other words, the operation amount with respect to the operation input unit 24, the position or orientation of the capsule endoscope 10 is calculated. When there is a large change, the imaging frame rate can be set high so that the inside of the subject can be observed in detail. In other cases, the imaging frame rate can be set low to reduce the number of wasted images and power consumption. Can be suppressed.

(Modification 1)
In the first embodiment, the frame rate calculation unit 262 calculates the imaging frame rate based on the guidance control signal output from the guidance control unit 261, and generates the instruction signal. However, the frame rate calculation unit 262 When the guidance instruction information is input from the operation input unit 24, the imaging frame rate may be calculated based on the guidance instruction information.

(Modification 2)
In the first embodiment, the value of the imaging frame rate FR is set steplessly according to the output value V of the guidance control signal. However, it may be set stepwise. For example, when the initial value FR ₀ of the imaging frame rate is 2 fps and the maximum value FR _max is 60 fps, the imaging frame rate is set to a low speed (for example, 15 fps), a medium speed (for example, 30 fps), or a high speed according to the range of the output value V. It may be set to a total of five levels (for example, 45 fps).

(Modification 3)
In the first embodiment, when calculating the imaging frame rate FR, the degree of freedom is based on each component of the output value V corresponding to the degree of freedom when changing the position and orientation of the capsule endoscope 10. The total imaging frame rate FR set for the capsule endoscope 10 is obtained by calculating the imaging frame rate for each, and simply adding these imaging frame rates, but the imaging frame rate for each degree of freedom is weighted. May be added together.

Specifically, the output value V corresponding to the rotational motion that changes the components V _x , V _y , and V _{z of} the output value V corresponding to the translational motion in the x, y, and z directions, and the elevation angle and the turning angle. The imaging frame rate FR is calculated by the following equation (1) using the components V _θ and V _{ψ of the above} and the function f (V) for calculating the imaging frame rate for each degree of freedom.
FR = w _x · f (V _x ) + w _y · f (V _y ) + w _z · f (V _z )
+ W _θ · f (V _θ ) + w _ψ · f (V _ψ ) (1)

In Equation (1), weights w _x , w _y , and w _z are weights corresponding to translational movements in the x, y, and z directions, and weights w _θ and w _ψ change the elevation angle and the turning angle. The weight corresponding to the rotational motion to be performed. These weights may be determined by the following methods (1) and (2).

(1) The weights w _θ and w _ψ corresponding to the posture change (rotational motion) of the capsule endoscope 10 are made larger than the weights w _x , w _y and w _z corresponding to the position change (translational motion). This is because the change in the imaging field of view is greater when the posture of the capsule endoscope 10 is changed than when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated.

(2) The weight corresponding to the direction orthogonal to the direction of the imaging field of view of the capsule endoscope 10 is set larger than the weight corresponding to the direction of the imaging field of view. For example, when the long axis La of the capsule endoscope 10 is parallel to the x direction, the weights w _y and w _z corresponding to the translation motion in the y direction and the z direction correspond to the translation motion in the x direction. larger than the weight _{w x.} This is because when the capsule endoscope 10 is translated in the direction orthogonal to the direction of the imaging field of view, the change in the imaging field of view is larger than when translated in the direction of the imaging field of view.

(Modification 4)
In the first embodiment, when the instruction signal is not received for a predetermined time or longer in step S16 in FIG. 6, the imaging frame rate is returned to the initial value FR ₀ on the capsule endoscope 10 side (step S17). This control may be performed on the guidance device 20 side. That is, when the guidance control signal is not output from the guidance control unit 261 for a predetermined time or more, the frame rate calculation unit 262 generates an instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate FR to the initial value FR ₀ and transmits the instruction signal to the transmission unit 28.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the first embodiment, the magnetic field generation unit 25 shown in FIG. 5 is configured as the guiding means for guiding the capsule endoscope 10. However, if the magnetic field MG acting on the permanent magnet 18 built in the capsule endoscope 10 is generated and the magnetic field MG can be changed based on the guidance instruction information input from the operation input unit 24, FIG. It is not limited to the structure shown. For example, instead of the extracorporeal permanent magnet 25a, an electromagnet that receives a power supply and generates a magnetic field may be provided, and the electromagnet may be translated and rotated.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the magnetic field generation unit 40 as a guidance unit in the capsule endoscope guidance system according to the second embodiment. 10 includes an electromagnet 41 that generates a magnetic field by receiving power supply, a power supply unit 42 that supplies power to the electromagnet 41, and a drive unit that translates and rotates the electromagnet 41 (planar position changing unit). 43a, a vertical position changing unit 43b, an elevation angle changing unit 43c, and a turning angle changing unit 43d).

  In this case, the guidance control unit 261 (see FIG. 1) uses, as a guidance control signal, a power control signal that controls the amount of power supplied to the electromagnet 41 and a timing for changing the power amount, and a translation drive signal that translates the electromagnet 41. And a rotation drive signal for rotating the electromagnet 41.

  The frame rate calculation unit 262 (same as above) calculates an imaging frame rate based on these control signals when the guidance control signal is output, and outputs an instruction signal for switching the imaging frame rate within the capsule type. Since it is transmitted to the endoscope 10, the imaging frame rate of the capsule endoscope 10 is changed before the capsule endoscope 10 is accelerated or decelerated by the magnetic field MG being changed by the operation of the magnetic field generation unit 40 based on the guidance control signal. Can be switched.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The guiding means for guiding the capsule endoscope 10 may have a configuration in which a composite magnetic field generated by a plurality of electromagnets is applied to the capsule endoscope 10.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a magnetic field generation unit 50 as a guidance unit in the capsule endoscope guidance system according to the third embodiment. The magnetic field generation unit 50 illustrated in FIG. 11 includes a plurality of electromagnets 51, a power supply unit 52 that supplies power to each electromagnet 51, and a power supply from the power supply unit 52 to each electromagnet 51, thereby controlling each electromagnet. And a magnetic field control unit 53 that changes a combined magnetic field generated by the magnetic field 51.

  Each electromagnet 51 is composed of a coil that receives a power supply and generates a magnetic field. In FIG. 11, each electromagnet 51 is represented by a single rectangular frame. However, the shape of the electromagnet is not limited to this, and for example, a coil wound in a spiral shape or a spiral shape is used as the electromagnet 51. It may be used.

  In this case, the guidance control unit 261 (see FIG. 1) outputs a power control signal that controls the amount of power supplied from the power supply unit 52 to each electromagnet 51 and the timing for changing the power amount as a guidance control signal. The magnetic field control unit 53 controls the power supplied from the power supply unit 52 to each electromagnet 51 in accordance with these power control signals.

  Further, since the frame rate calculation unit 262 (same as above) calculates the imaging frame rate based on the power control signal output from the guidance control unit 261, the combined magnetic field changes due to the operation of the magnetic field generation unit 50 based on the power control signal. Thus, the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope 10 can be switched before the capsule endoscope 10 is accelerated or decelerated.

  Embodiments 1 to 3 described above and modifications thereof are merely examples for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these. Further, the present invention can form various inventions by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the first to third embodiments and the respective modifications. It is obvious from the above description that the present invention can be variously modified according to specifications and the like, and that various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Capsule-type endoscope guidance system 10 Capsule-type endoscope 11A, 11B Imaging part 12A, 12B Illumination part 13A, 13B Optical system 14A, 14B Imaging element 15 Control part 16 Wireless communication part 16a Antenna 17 Power supply part 18 Permanent magnet 20 Guiding device 21 Receiving unit 21a Receiving antenna 22 Position and orientation detecting unit 23 Display unit 24 Operation input unit 25, 40, 50 Magnetic field generating unit 25a External permanent magnet 25b, 43a Plane position changing unit 25c, 43b Vertical position changing unit 25d, 43c Elevation angle changing unit 25e, 43d Turning angle changing unit 26 Control unit 261 Guidance control unit 262 Frame rate calculation unit 27 Storage unit 28 Transmission unit 28a Transmission antenna 31, 32 Joystick 34U Up button 34B Down button 35 Approach button 41, 51 Electromagnet 42 52 power supply unit 53 the magnetic field control unit 100 capsule-shaped casing 101 cylindrical casing 102 and 103 domed housing

Claims (8)

A guiding device for guiding a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and images the inside of the subject,
Guiding means for guiding the capsule endoscope;
An instruction information input unit for inputting guidance instruction information for changing the position or posture of the capsule endoscope according to an operation performed from the outside;
A guidance control unit that controls the operation of the guidance means based on the guidance instruction information;
A frame rate calculation unit that calculates an imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope based on the guidance instruction information;
A transmission unit that transmits an instruction signal to the capsule endoscope for setting the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope to the imaging frame rate calculated by the frame rate calculation unit;
A guidance device comprising: The initial value of the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope is preset,
The frame rate calculation unit calculates a value higher than the initial value as the imaging frame rate when the guidance instruction information is input from the instruction information input unit.
The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein: The capsule endoscope includes a permanent magnet,
The guiding means generates a magnetic field acting on the permanent magnet;
The guidance control unit changes the position or posture of the capsule endoscope by changing the magnetic field based on the guidance instruction information,
The frame rate calculation unit calculates the imaging frame rate so that the value increases as the temporal change rate of the magnetic field increases.
The guidance device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by things. The capsule endoscope includes a permanent magnet,
The guiding means generates a magnetic field acting on the permanent magnet;
The guidance control unit changes the position or posture of the capsule endoscope by changing the magnetic field based on the guidance instruction information,
The frame rate calculation unit calculates the imaging frame rate so that the value increases stepwise when the temporal change rate of the magnetic field increases.
The guidance device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by things.   When the guidance instruction information for changing the posture of the capsule endoscope is input, the frame rate calculation unit is more than when the guidance instruction information for changing the position of the capsule endoscope is input. The guidance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the imaging frame rate is calculated so as to increase the value.   The frame rate calculating unit moves the capsule endoscope to the visual field when guidance instruction information for translating the capsule endoscope in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the visual field of the capsule endoscope is input. The guide according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the imaging frame rate is calculated so that the value is larger than a case in which guide instruction information for translation in the direction is input. apparatus. The guidance device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The capsule endoscope;
With
The capsule endoscope is:
An imaging unit for imaging the inside of the subject;
A receiving unit for receiving the instruction signal transmitted from the transmitting unit;
A control unit for controlling an imaging frame rate in the imaging unit according to the instruction signal received by the receiving unit;
A capsule endoscope guidance system comprising: An operation method of a guidance device for guiding a capsule endoscope that is introduced into a subject and images the inside of the subject,
A guidance control step for controlling the operation of guidance means for guiding the capsule endoscope based on guidance instruction information for changing the position or posture of the capsule endoscope;
A frame rate calculating step for calculating an imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope based on the guidance instruction information;
A transmission step of transmitting to the capsule endoscope an instruction signal for setting the imaging frame rate in the capsule endoscope to the imaging frame rate calculated in the frame rate calculation step;
A method for operating a guidance device, comprising:

Images