A video endoscope system includes a reusable control cabinet and an endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope may be used with a single patient and then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor, and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. An articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the actuators in the control cabinet or actuators in a control handle of the endoscope. Fluidics, electrical, navigation, image, display and data entry controls are integrated into the system along with other accessories.

Articulation joint for video endoscope

An apparatus and method for imaging diseases in tissue are presented. The apparatus employs a light source for producing excitation light to excite the tissue to generate autofluorescence light and for producing illumination light to generate reflected and back scattered light (remittance light) from the tissue. Optical sensors are used to receive the autofluorescence light and the remittance light to collect an autofluorescence light image and a remittance light image. A filter acts to integrate the autofluorescence image over a range of wavelengths in which the autofluorescence intensity for normal tissue is substantially different from the autofluorescence intensity for diseased tissue to establish an integrated autofluorescence image of the tissue. The remittance light image provides a background image to normalize the autofluorescence image to account for image non-uniformity due to changes in distance, angle and illumination intensity. A monitor displays the integrated autofluorescence image and the remittance light image to produce a normalized image in which diseased tissue is distinguishable from normal tissue. The optical sensor can be installed adjacent the end of an endoscope probe inserted into a body cavity. A method for imaging diseased tissue using an integrated fluorescence image and a normalizing remittance image is also disclosed.

Apparatus and method for imaging diseased tissue using integrated autofluorescence

Apparatus for imaging diseases in tissue comprising a light source for generating excitation light that includes wavelengths capable of generating characteristic autofluorescence for abnormal and normal tissue. A fibreoptic illuminating light guide is used to illuminate tissue with light that includes at least the excitation light thereby exciting the tissue to emit the characteristic autofluorescence. An imaging bundle collects emitted autofluorescence light from the tissue. The autofluorescence light is filtered into spectral bands in which the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially different from normal tissue and the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially similar to normal tissue. An optical system is used to intercept the filtered autofluorescence light to acquire at least two filtered emitted autofluorescence images of the tissue. The acquired images are displayed in real time on a display monitor in such a manner as to delineate abnormal and normal tissue.

Endoscopic imaging system for diseased tissue

A system for detecting cancerous or precancerous lesions directs light produced from a mercury arc lamp (100) into an illumination guide (106) of an endoscope. Autofluorescence light produced by the tissue under examination is divided into red and green spectral bands by a dichroic mirror (120). Light in the red and green spectral band is applied to a pair of image intensified CCD cameras (126, 130). The output of the camera that receives light in the red spectral band is coupled to a red video input of a color video monitor (150). Light produced by the camera that receives light in the green spectral band is coupled to the blue and green video inputs of the video monitor. The system produces a false color display, whereby healthy tissue appears cyan in color and cancerous or precancerous lesions appear reddish in color. The image displayed allows the operator to see the lesions within the context of the underlying tissue structures. The color contrast is adjustable to account for the autofluorescence property changes from patient to patient and from location to location.

Imaging system for detecting diseased tissue using native fluorescence in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract

An endoscopic imaging system includes a reusable control cabinet having a number of actuators that control the orientation of a lightweight endoscope that is connectable thereto The endoscope is used with a single patient and is then disposed The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein A polymeric articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the control cabinet The endoscope is coated with a hydrophilic coating that reduces its coefficient of friction and because it is lightweight, requires less force to advance it to a desired location within a patient

Endoscopic imaging system

A video signal transmission system for an endoscope converts an electrical video signal produced by a solid state image sensor into an optical signal and transmits the optical signal to a control section through a fiber optic cable or like light carrying medium. Because the fiber optic cable used for the present invention transmits light indicative of a time serial signal from the solid state imaging sensor, it will be clear that the cable may be constituted by a single length of optical fiber and, in this respect, substantially differs from usual light carrying fiber bundles which are installed in general endoscopes as image guides for transmitting light images simply as light.

Makoto Murakoshi

Papers

Video signal transmission system for endoscope using solid state image sensor

Image transmitting system of endoscope using solid image sensor