Endoscope device

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to an endoscope device that irradiates an observation unit with light and captures an optical image based on the re-radiated light emitted from the observation unit by the irradiation of the light, particularly having a plurality of charge multiplying portions. The present invention relates to an endoscope device that performs imaging using a solid-state imaging means.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, an endoscope device that captures an optical image of an observation unit by using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD that converts an optical image into an electric signal has been used in the medical field. The electrical signal output from the image sensor has the advantage that it can be observed by a plurality of people at the same time by displaying it on a monitor or the like. In addition, by performing various image processing before display, tissue changes that cannot be recognized by the naked eye can be displayed on the monitor, which greatly contributes to the development of medical treatment.

【0003】

In recent years, the diameter of endoscopes has been reduced, and it is applied not only to the conventional digestive system but also to the bronchi, otolaryngology, joints and the like. However, as the diameter of the endoscope is reduced, the number of light guides that transmit the illumination light is also limited, so that it may not be possible to irradiate sufficient illumination light, and it is desired to improve the imaging sensitivity of the CCD. ing. Further, in addition to normal observation in which illumination light is irradiated for observation, fluorescence observation in which excitation light is irradiated to observe fluorescence emitted by a living tissue is also performed. The fluorescence emitted by living tissues is weak, and it is desired to mount a CCD with improved sensitivity in these fluorescence endoscopy devices as well.

【0004】

In addition, conventionally, when the biological observation unit is irradiated with excitation light in a predetermined wavelength band, the biological observation unit is irradiated with excitation light having a predetermined wavelength by utilizing the fact that the fluorescence intensity emitted differs between normal tissue and lesion tissue. However, a technique has been proposed in which the localization / invasion range of the lesion tissue is displayed as a fluorescence diagnostic image by receiving the fluorescence emitted by the biological observation unit. Fluorescence diagnostic images are created based on the drug fluorescence emitted from the biological tissue that has absorbed the fluorescent diagnostic agent in advance, and are created based on the autofluorescence emitted from the biological tissue without using the fluorescence diagnostic agent. There are some, but at present, fluorescence diagnostic images created mainly from autofluorescence are used. Normally, when the living body observation unit is irradiated with excitation light, strong autofluorescence is emitted from normal tissue and weak autofluorescence is emitted from lesion tissue. Therefore, the lesion state can be determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity.

【0005】

This type of fluorescence endoscopy device basically includes an excitation light irradiation means for irradiating a living body observation unit with excitation light, an imaging means for imaging a fluorescence image from fluorescence emitted by a living tissue, and an output of the imaging means. It consists of an image processing means for generating the fluorescence diagnostic image in response to the above, and a display means for displaying the fluorescence diagnostic image. In many cases, an endoscope inserted inside the body cavity, a colposcope, or a surgical device is used. It is constructed in a form incorporated in a microscope or the like.

【0006】

By the way, in the fluorescence endoscopy device as described above, the distance from the excitation light irradiation system to the biological observation unit is not uniform due to unevenness in the portion of the living body, and the excitation light illuminance in the excitation light irradiation portion of the living body is generally unsatisfactory. It is uniform. The fluorescence intensity emitted from normal tissue is substantially proportional to the excitation light illuminance, and the excitation light illuminance decreases in inverse proportion to the square of the distance. Therefore, the lesion tissue near the normal tissue may emit stronger fluorescence than the normal tissue far from the light source, and if the observer makes a judgment based only on the fluorescence intensity, the judgment of the lesion state may be erroneous. obtain.

【0007】

In order to reduce such defects, a narrow-band fluorescence image in the vicinity of 480 nm, which has a large difference between the fluorescence intensity emitted from normal tissue and the fluorescence intensity emitted from lesion tissue, and a wide-band fluorescence image in the visible wavelength band are provided. A fluorescence endoscopy device has been proposed in which an image is taken, the ratio of the signal intensity of the narrow-band fluorescence image and the broadband fluorescence image is obtained, and a pseudo-color image is displayed based on this ratio. That is, by obtaining the above ratio, the term of fluorescence intensity depending on the distance between the excitation light source and the fluorescence light receiving unit and the biological observation unit is canceled, and a display reflecting only the difference in the shape of the fluorescence spectrum can be obtained. On the other hand, it is not affected by the ratio of the light intensity of the excitation light received by the part of the living tissue to the light intensity of the fluorescence emitted from the part by receiving the excitation light, that is, the distance or angle of irradiating the excitation light. A method of identifying the texture of the observation part by obtaining a value that reflects the fluorescence yield, which is a value, has also been proposed. However, when obtaining a value that reflects the fluorescence yield, the excitation light is not uniformly absorbed by various biological tissues, so that the biological tissue receives light even if the intensity distribution of the reflected excitation light is measured. It does not mean that the intensity distribution of the excited light was measured correctly. Therefore, as one measure for determining the fluorescence yield, the biological tissue is irradiated with near-infrared light that is uniformly absorbed by various biological tissues as reference light, and the reflected light of the reflected reference light is referred to as reference light. An image is taken, and the light intensity is used as a substitute for the light intensity of the excitation light received by the biological tissue to obtain the ratio of the signal intensity of the fluorescent image and the reference light image, and a pseudo color image based on this ratio is displayed. Fluorescent endoscopy devices have been proposed. That is, the above division cancels the term of fluorescence intensity depending on the distance between the excitation light source and the fluorescence light receiving unit and the biological observation unit, and a display reflecting only the difference in fluorescence yield can be obtained.

【0008】

Further, in order to display an image including information on the shape of the observation unit as well as information on the fluorescence emitted from the observation unit irradiated with the excitation light, the ratio of the signal intensities of the narrow band fluorescence image and the wideband fluorescence image, or Color information is created based on the ratio of the signal intensity of the fluorescence image and the reference light image, brightness information is created based on the signal intensity of the reference light image, and both information are combined to create a fluorescence diagnostic image. Mirror devices have also been proposed by the inventors. Since the fluorescence emitted by living tissues is very weak, it is desired to mount a CCD with improved sensitivity in these fluorescence endoscopy devices as well.

【0009】

In recent years, an image sensor equipped with a charge multiplying means has been developed in the image sensor as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-176721, and the amount of light of the optical image is not suitable for imaging using a conventional image sensor. Even if it is sufficient, if an image is taken using this image sensor, it can be displayed as a visible image. An image sensor equipped with the above charge multiplying means is CMD (Charge Multiplying). Detector) -CCD, which causes an electroconductor and an atom to collide with each other in an electric field region of high intensity, and the signal charge is multiplied by the charge multiplying effect generated by this ionization to improve the sensitivity of the image sensor. Since this charge multiplying means multiplies the signal charge in the stage prior to the charge detection circuit that sequentially converts the signal charge into a signal voltage and extracts it as an output signal, it does not multiply the read noise generated in the charge detection circuit. The S / N of the output signal can be improved. Therefore, if this CMD-CCD is mounted on an endoscope device, it is possible to perform imaging even in an environment where the illumination light is insufficient. In addition, if the CMD-CCD is mounted on a fluorescence endoscope device, it is possible to take an image even with weak fluorescence. As an endoscope device equipped with this type of solid-state image sensor, its configuration and sensitivity control method are described in JP-A-2001-29313.

【0010】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, the charge multiplying means incorporated in the charge multiplying type solid-state image sensor multiplies the captured signal charge by the multiplying factor based on the input multiplier control signal, so that the multiplier control signal is used. If even a slight fluctuation occurs in the signal characteristics of, the multiplier will change. In particular, when the charge is multiplied by a charge multiplication path that transfers and multiplies the charge at the same time, the desired multiplication is obtained by repeating the charge transfer and multiplication many times. There is a risk that the multiplier will fluctuate significantly. For example, even if the peak value of the voltage of the magnification control signal fluctuates by 1% from a predetermined peak value, the final magnification may fluctuate several times. Further, even when the temperature of the image sensor fluctuates, the multiplying factor in the charge multiplying means may fluctuate. The fluctuation rate of the charge multiplication factor that occurs when the signal characteristics fluctuate or the temperature fluctuates in this way differs depending on each solid-state image sensor.

【0011】

In order to acquire a plurality of types of images, a plurality of solid-state image sensors having a charge multiplying portion may be mounted on a fluorescent endoscopic device or the like that has been supervised. In such a case, magnification control is performed. The charge multiplication factor of each solid-state image sensor may deviate from the desired charge multiplication factor due to fluctuations in the signal characteristics or temperature of the signal. As a result, the ratio of the signal strength between the plurality of images is different from the ratio of the signal strength between the images when the image is multiplied by a desired charge multiplication factor, and a large error occurs in the calculated value between the images. , There is a risk that a fluorescence diagnostic image reflecting the difference in the shape of the fluorescence spectrum or the fluorescence yield cannot be obtained.

【0012】

Further, usually, the endoscope unit is configured such that the scope unit and the processor unit can be brought into contact with each other. Since the scope unit needs to be disinfected each time it is used, several sub-scope units are prepared for one processor unit. Since the magnification characteristics in the charge multiplication unit vary depending on the individual solid-state image sensor, even when the magnification control signal having the same signal characteristics is output from the processor unit, each solid is output. The magnification of the image sensor may vary, and even in such a case, the ratio of the signal strength between the multiple images is also the ratio of the signal strength between the images when the magnification is increased by the desired charge magnification. If they are different, a large error may occur in the calculated values, and a fluorescence diagnostic image reflecting the difference in the shape of the fluorescence spectrum or the fluorescence yield may not be obtained.

【0013】

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention includes a first solid-state image sensor and a second solid-state image sensor provided with a charge multiplying portion, and an image captured by the first solid-state image sensor and a second solid-state image sensor. In an endoscope device that performs calculations between images captured by the element, the second is due to the variation in the ratio between the charge multiplication factor in the first solid-state image sensor and the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state image sensor. A feature of the present invention is to provide an endoscopic device with improved reliability capable of reducing an error that occurs in a calculated value between an image captured by one solid-state image sensor and an image captured by a second solid-state image sensor. It is something to do.

【0014】

[Means for solving problems]

The endoscope device according to the present invention has a first light irradiation means for irradiating the observation unit with the first light, and an optical image based on the re-radiated light emitted from the observation unit by the irradiation of the first light. An optical image based on the first solid-state imaging means for imaging, the second light irradiation means for irradiating the observation unit with the second light, and the re-radiated light emitted from the observation unit by the irradiation of the second light. An endoscope including a second solid-state imaging means for imaging a light beam, and a calculation means for performing an operation between an image captured by the first solid-state imaging means and an image captured by the second solid-state imaging means. In the apparatus, the first solid-state imaging means has a charge multiplying means for multiplying the signal charge based on the first magnification control signal, and the second solid-state imaging means has a second magnification control signal. It has a charge multiplying means for multiplying the signal charge based on the above, and a magnification correction for correcting the ratio of the charge multiplying factor in the first solid-state imaging means and the charge multiplying factor in the second solid-state imaging means. It is characterized by having means.

【0015】

Here, the "re-radiated light" means the light emitted from the observation unit by being irradiated with the light, and specifically, the reflected light reflected by the observation unit or scattered near the surface of the observation unit. However, it means scattered light emitted after that or fluorescence emitted from the observation unit. Further, when "correcting the ratio of the charge multiplication factor in the first solid-state imaging means and the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state imaging means", the charge multiplication factor of one of the two solid-state imaging means is corrected. Alternatively, the charge multiplication factor of both solid-state image sensors may be corrected. Further, the correction method may be any method as long as it is a method of correcting the ratio of charge multiplication, specifically, a method of controlling the signal characteristics of the magnification control signal, a method of controlling the captured image. There are a method of correcting the signal strength, a method of correcting the calculated value between the captured images, and the like. The endoscope device of the present invention is not limited to the endoscope device provided with two solid-state image pickup devices provided with the charge multiplying means, and a plurality of solid-state image pickup devices provided with the charge multiplying means are used. Any of them may be provided, and any one that corrects the ratio of charge multiplication between at least two solid-state image sensors in the plurality of solid-state image sensors may be used. The first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means may be configured by the same light irradiation means.

【0016】

Further, the magnification correction means may be one that corrects the fluctuation of the charge magnification in the first solid-state imaging means and also corrects the fluctuation of the charge magnification in the second solid-state imaging means. That is, the signal strength of the image captured by the first solid-state image sensor matches the signal strength when the signal charge is multiplied by the charge multiplication factor set in advance as the charge multiplication factor of the first solid-state image sensor. Similarly, the signal intensity of the image captured by the second solid-state image sensor is increased by the charge multiplication factor set in advance as the charge multiplication factor of the second solid-state image sensor. The ratio of the charge multiplication factor in the first solid-state image pickup means and the charge increase factor in the second solid-state image pickup means is corrected by performing the correction so as to match the signal strength at the time of the correction. Further, the endoscope device of the present invention has a first signal characteristic detecting means for detecting the signal characteristics of the first magnification control signal and a second signal characteristic for detecting the signal characteristics of the second magnification control signal. When the signal characteristic detecting means of the above is provided, the multiplying correction means determines the ratio of the charge multiplying factor based on the detection results of the first signal characteristic detecting means and the second signal characteristic detecting means. It may be provided with a first correction means for correction.

【0017】

If the magnification control signal is formed from, for example, a plurality of pulse signals, the signal characteristic detecting means may be at least the peak value, the integrated value, the pulse width, or the number of pulses of the pulse signal. It is possible to detect a signal characteristic based on one.

【0018】

Further, if the temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the first solid-state imaging means and the second solid-state imaging means is provided, the magnification correction means may be based on the detection result of the temperature detecting means. It is possible to provide a second correction means for correcting the charge multiplication ratio.

【0019】

The temperature detecting means can be composed of one temperature detecting element if the first solid-state imaging means and the second solid-state imaging means are arranged close to each other. When the first solid-state image pickup means and the second solid-state image pickup means are arranged separately, a temperature detection element is provided in the vicinity of each solid-state image pickup means, and the temperature detection means is configured by the two temperature detection elements. It should be done.

【0020】

The endoscope device of the present invention is based on the temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the first solid-state imaging means and the second solid-state imaging means, and the detection result of the temperature detecting means, and the first solid-state. It may be provided with an image pickup means and a dark noise correction means for correcting the dark noise of the second solid-state image pickup means.

【0021】

Further, the first solid-state imaging means or the second solid-state imaging means may be provided with a charge clearing means for clearing unnecessary charges.

【0022】

When the first light irradiating means irradiates the observation unit with excitation light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 420 nm as the light, the first solid-state imaging means irradiates the excitation light. A fluorescence image based on the fluorescence emitted from the observation unit can be imaged.

【0023】

When the second light irradiating means irradiates the observation unit with excitation light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 420 nm as the light, the second solid-state imaging means irradiates the excitation light to perform the observation. It is possible to take an image of a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence emitted from the unit.

【0024】

[Effect of the invention]

According to the endoscope device according to the present invention, the image image imaged by the first solid-state image sensor and the second solid-state image sensor are provided with a first solid-state image sensor and a second solid-state image sensor provided with a charge multiplying portion. In the endoscope device that performs calculations between images captured by the image sensor, the ratio of the charge multiplication factor in the first solid-state imaging means and the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state imaging means is corrected. When the ratio of the charge multiplication factor in the solid-state image sensor and the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state image sensor deviates from the desired ratio, the image captured by the first solid-state image sensor and the second solid-state image sensor Therefore, it is possible to prevent an error in the calculated value between the captured images, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the device.

【0025】

If the magnification correction means corrects the fluctuation of the charge magnification in the first solid-state imaging means and corrects the fluctuation of the charge magnification in the second solid-state imaging means, that is, the first. The signal strength of the image captured by the solid-state image sensor is corrected so as to match the signal strength when the signal charge is multiplied by the charge multiplication factor set in advance as the charge multiplication factor of the first solid-state image sensor. Similarly, when the signal intensity of the image captured by the second solid-state image sensor is multiplied by the charge multiplication factor set in advance as the charge multiplication factor of the second solid-state image sensor, the signal charge is multiplied. Since the correction is performed so as to match the signal strength, the ratio of the charge multiplication factor in the first solid-state imaging means and the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state imaging means can be corrected, and the charge multiplication factor is increased by a preset charge multiplication factor. It is possible to obtain an image having a signal strength that matches the case of being multiplied. Therefore, for example, when a fluorescence diagnostic image is created by a color mixing method based on the signal intensity of a narrow band fluorescence image and a broadband fluorescence image, the shape and fluorescence intensity of the fluorescence spectrum are reflected in the color. Diagnostic images can be created. In addition, as the inventors filed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-134495 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-18242, in order to prevent division by 0 and divergence of the divided value, the calculation is performed after adding the offset value to the signal value. The calculated value does not differ from the actual calculated value even when performing.

【0026】

The charge is based on the detection results of the first signal characteristic detecting means for detecting the signal characteristics of the first magnification control signal and the second signal characteristic detecting means for detecting the signal characteristics of the second magnification control signal. When correcting the magnification ratio, even if the signal characteristics of the first magnification control signal or the second magnification control signal fluctuate, the ratio to the charge magnification in the second solid-state image sensor Due to the change, it is possible to prevent an error from occurring between the image captured by the first solid-state image sensor and the image captured by the second solid-state image sensor.

【0027】

If the ratio of the charge multiplication factor is corrected based on the detection results of the first solid-state imaging means and the temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the second solid-state imaging means, the first solid-state imaging means or Even if the temperature of the second solid-state image sensor fluctuates, the image captured by the first solid-state image sensor and the second solid due to the change in the ratio with the charge multiplication factor in the second solid-state image sensor. It is possible to prevent an error from occurring in the calculated value between the images captured by the image sensor.

【0028】

Dark noise of the first solid-state image pickup means and the second solid-state image pickup means based on the detection results of the temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the first solid-state image pickup means and the second solid-state image pickup means and the temperature detection means. When a dark noise correction means for correcting the above is provided, an image with improved S / N, which is less affected by dark noise, can be obtained.

【0029】

If the first solid-state imaging means or the second solid-state imaging means is provided with a charge clearing means for clearing unnecessary charges, it is possible to acquire an image with improved S / N that is less affected by unnecessary charges. .. Further, since the charge clearing means can be used as an optical shutter and a physical shutter or the like is not required, the degree of freedom in arranging the solid-state image sensor is improved.

【0030】

The observation unit is irradiated with excitation light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 420 nm, and the first solid-state imaging means or the second solid-state imaging means images a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence emitted from the observation unit by the irradiation of the excitation light. If it is, a fluorescence image with improved S / N can be obtained from weak fluorescence.

【0031】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a first specific embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscope device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a CMD-CCD image sensor mounted on the fluorescence endoscope device.

【0032】

This fluorescence endoscopy device irradiates the biological observation unit with excitation light, and emits the fluorescence emitted from the observation unit using two CMD-CCD imaging elements provided at the tip of the scope unit and having a charge multiplying unit. The image is taken and the fluorescence image is displayed on the monitor as a pseudo-color image corresponding to the relative ratio of the signal intensities in a predetermined wavelength band. By controlling the effective pulse ratio of the magnification control signal, two CMDs are used. -It is corrected so that the charge multiplication factors between the CCD image elements are equal (the ratio is 1).

【0033】

The endoscope device according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a CMD-CCD image sensor which is a solid-state image sensor provided with a charge multiplying means, and is a scope portion inserted into a site suspected to be a lesion of a patient. 100, Lighting unit 120 equipped with a light source that emits excitation light for image pickup of fluorescence image, Image processing for displaying a fluorescence image as a pseudo-color image according to the relative ratio of signal intensity in a predetermined wavelength band Fluorescence image processing unit It consists of 130, a CCD drive unit 150 that controls the operation of the CMD-CCD image sensor, a controller 160 that controls the operation of each unit, and a monitor 180 that displays a fluorescence diagnostic image (pseudo-color image based on the fluorescence image). .. The lighting unit 120, the image processing unit 130, the CCD drive unit 150, and the controller 160 constitute the processor unit 1, and the scope unit 100, the processor unit 1, the processor unit 1, and the monitor 180 are connected by connectors (not shown). It is connected freely.

【0034】

The scope portion 100 includes a light guide 101 extending to the tip and a cable 102 inside. An illumination lens 104 and an objective lens 105 are provided at the tip of the light guide 101 and the cable 102, that is, the tip of the scope portion 100. Further, inside the objective lens 105, CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 having a charge multiplier are arranged. The CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and 107 are arranged at right angles through the half mirror 108, and a narrow band filter that transmits light in the wavelength band of 430 nm to 530 nm between the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and the half mirror 108. 109 is installed. Further, an excitation light cut filter 110 that cuts light in a wavelength band of 420 nm or less is arranged between the objective lens 105 and the half mirror 108. A memory 111 is provided near the rear end of the scope unit 100.

【0035】

The light guide 101 is made of quartz glass fiber and is connected to the lighting unit 120. The cable 102 transmits the drive line 103a to which the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 is transmitted, the output line 103b that reads the signal charge from the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106, and the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image pickup element 107. The drive line 103c, the output line 103d that reads the signal charge from the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107, and the signal line 103e that inputs and outputs data to and from the memory 111 are combined. One end of the drive lines 103a and 103c is connected to the CCD drive unit 150, one end of the output lines 103b and 103d is connected to the image processing unit 130, and one end of the signal line 103e is connected to the controller 160. The signal line 103e does not extend to the tip of the scope unit 100.

【0036】

As shown in FIG. 2, the CMD-CCD image pickup devices 106 and 107 are frame transfer type CMD-CCD image pickup devices, respectively, which are a light receiving unit 21 that converts an captured optical image into a signal charge, a temporary storage of a signal charge, and a signal charge. Storage unit 22 for transfer, horizontal transfer unit 23 for horizontal transfer of signal charge, charge multiplication unit 24 for multiplying signal charge based on the input multiplication control signal, changing signal charge to signal voltage, It is equipped with an output unit 25 that amplifies and outputs from the output terminal 27 to the image processing unit 130.

【0037】

The light receiving unit 21 is composed of n vertical and n'vertical transfer CCD31s that perform photoelectric conversion and vertical transfer of signal charges. For the sake of simplicity, FIG. 2 shows a light receiving unit 21 composed of three vertical and four horizontal transfer CCDs 31, but the actual CMD-CCD image sensor 106 has several hundreds in both vertical and horizontal directions. Three vertical transfer CCDs 31 are provided.

【0038】

The storage unit 22 is composed of a vertical transfer CCD 33 that is light-shielded by a thin metal film or the like and temporarily stores and vertically transfers signal charges. The horizontal transfer unit 23 is composed of a horizontal transfer CCD35.

【0039】

The charge multiplier 24 is composed of m charge multiplier cells 36. The signal charge input to the charge multiplying unit 24 is sequentially transferred while being multiplied based on the multiplier control signal which is a continuous pulse signal. The charge multiplier cell 37 collides an electron with an atom in a strong charge region, and uses the charge multiplier effect generated by ionization to multiply the input charge and output the charge. The magnification varies depending on the signal characteristics of the multiplier control signal. In FIG. 2, the storage unit 22, the horizontal transfer unit 23, and the charge multiplying unit 24 are also described in a simplified manner as in the light receiving unit 21.

【0040】

The output unit 25 includes a charge detection unit 37 that converts a signal charge into a signal voltage (output signal) and an output amplifier 38 that amplifies the output signal.

【0041】

The illumination unit 120 of the processor unit 1 includes a GaN-based semiconductor laser 121 that emits pulsed excitation light Le for imaging a fluorescence image, and a power supply 122 for an excitation light source that is electrically connected to the GaN-based semiconductor laser 121.

【0042】

The charge magnification in each CMD-CCD image sensor is controlled by the effective pulse ratio included in the magnification control signals output from the CCD drivers 151 and 152, which will be described later.

【0043】

The image processing unit 130 is a signal processing circuit 131 that processes the signal of the narrow band fluorescence image captured by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106, and an A / D that digitizes the image signal obtained by the signal processing circuit 131. The conversion circuit 132, the image memory 133 for storing the image signal output from the A / D conversion circuit 132, the signal processing circuit 134 for processing the signal of the wideband fluorescent image captured by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107, and the signal processing circuit 134. An A / D conversion circuit 135 that digitizes the image signal obtained by the signal processing circuit 134, an image memory 136 that stores the image signal output from the A / D conversion circuit 135, and a narrow band stored in the image memory 133. A fluorescence image generation circuit 137 that creates a fluorescence diagnostic image signal that is a pseudo-color image signal from the image signal of the fluorescence image and the image signal of the broadband fluorescence image stored in the image memory 136, and the fluorescence output from this fluorescence image generation circuit 137. It is equipped with a video signal processing circuit 138 that converts the diagnostic image signal into a video signal and outputs it.

【0044】

The CCD drive unit 150 outputs a CCD that controls the operation timings of the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 and a multiplier control signal that controls the multiplier in the charge multiplier 24 under the control of the controller 160. It has drivers 151 and 152. The multiplier control signal has a voltage value equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and in the charge multiplier 24, the effective pulse that brings about the multiplier effect and the voltage value are smaller than the predetermined value and are simply transferred between the charge multiplier cells 36. Consists of invalid pulses to execute. The ratio of the number of effective pulses to the total number of pulses per unit time (number of invalid pulses + number of effective pulses) in the magnification control signal output from the CCD drivers 151 and 152 under the control of the controller 160 (hereinafter referred to as the effective pulse ratio). Can be controlled.

【0045】

The controller 160 operates in normal mode, which performs normal imaging operations, or in calibration mode, which acquires correction data for charge multiplication in CMD-CCD106 and 107, by selection with a manual switch (not shown). When the scope unit 100 is attached to the processor unit 1 for the first time, the user first selects the calibration mode. In the calibration mode, the controller 160 measures the relationship between the effective pulse ratio and the charge multiplication factor in each of the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107, and the measurement result is stored in the memory of the scope unit 100 for each image sensor. Remember in 111. Further, in the normal mode, the correction data stored in the memory 111 of the scope unit 100 is read out, and based on this correction data, the charge multiplication ratio between the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 and 107 is set to 1. , Controls the effective pulse ratio of the magnification control signal output from each CCD driver 151 and 152. The details of the operation in the calibration mode will be described later.

【0046】

Hereinafter, the operation of the fluorescence endoscope device according to the present invention will be described. First, the operation in the calibration mode will be described, and then the operation in the normal mode in which normal imaging is performed will be described.

【0047】

First, when the scope unit 100 is attached to the processor unit 1 for the first time, the user selects the calibration mode using a manual switch (not shown). When the calibration mode is selected, the controller 160 outputs a magnification control signal having an effective pulse ratio of 0 to the CMD-CCD image sensor 106, performs imaging in a light-shielded state, and reads out the image signal. Then, the average value signal value is calculated and stored as a reference value. Next, the effective pulse ratio is slightly increased, imaging is performed in the same manner, the average signal value is calculated, and the average signal value is divided by the reference value. This division value is stored as the charge multiplication factor corresponding to the effective pulse ratio. The same operation is repeated until the effective pulse ratio becomes 1. The relationship between the effective pulse ratio and the charge multiplication factor in the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 acquired for this purpose is stored in the memory 111 of the scope unit 100 for each image sensor as correction data.

【0048】

Next, the operation in the normal mode in which the normal imaging operation is performed will be described. When the normal mode is set by the manual switch, the controller 160 reads and stores the correction data of the scope unit 100 from the memory 111 of the scope unit 100.

【0049】

Based on the signal from the controller 160, the power supply 122 for the excitation light source is driven, and the pulse excitation light Le having a wavelength of 410 nm is emitted from the GaN-based semiconductor laser 121. The excitation light Le passes through the lens 123, is incident on the light guide 101, is guided to the tip of the scope portion, and is then irradiated from the illumination lens 104 to the observation portion 10.

【0050】

The fluorescence from the observation unit 10 generated by irradiating the excitation light Le is condensed by the condenser lens 105, and the light in the wavelength band of 420 nm or less including the reflected light of the excitation light Le is cut by the excitation light cut filter 110. It is incident on the half mirror 108. 50% of the fluorescence is transmitted through the half mirror 108 and the remaining 50% is reflected at right angles. The fluorescence transmitted through the narrow band filter 109 is imaged as a narrow wavelength band fluorescence image Zj on the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106. The fluorescence reflected at a right angle by the half mirror 108 is imaged as a wide wavelength band fluorescence image Zj on the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107.

【0051】

In the CMD-CCD image sensor 106, the fluorescence image Zj is received by the vertical transfer CCD31 of the light receiving unit 21, photoelectrically converted, and converted into an electric signal according to the intensity of light. When the predetermined time elapses and the pulse excitation light Le is turned off, the signal charge accumulated in the vertical transfer CCD31 is transferred to the vertical transfer CCD33 of the storage unit 22 based on the signal from the controller 160.

【0052】

The signal charges transferred to the vertical transfer CCD33 of the storage unit 22 are vertically transferred in parallel and sequentially sent to the horizontal transfer CCD35 of the horizontal transfer unit 23. In the horizontal transfer unit 23, when the signal charge of the pixel of one horizontal line is input, the signal charge is transferred in the horizontal direction and sequentially transferred to the charge multiplication cell 36 of the charge multiplication unit 24. In the charge multiplication cell 36, the signal charges are sequentially transferred while being multiplied based on the multiplication control signal. The signal charge output from the last charge multiplier cell 36 to the output unit 25 provided at the right end is converted into a signal voltage by the charge detection unit 37, amplified by the output amplifier 38, and used as an output signal from the output terminal 27. It is output. When the signal charge of one horizontal line is read out, the signal charge of the next one horizontal line is then transferred from the storage unit 22 to the horizontal transfer unit 23. By repeating such an operation, the signal charge is sequentially read from the lower left pixel of the light receiving unit 21 to the right, and when the signal charge of one horizontal line is read out, the signal charge of one horizontal line above it is read next. Is read and moves in order to read all the signals forming the narrowband image signal.

【0053】

The magnification control signal input to the charge multiplier 24 is output from the CCD driver 151 under the control of the controller 160, and the controller 160 uses the CMD-CCD based on the stored correction data. In the image pickup elements 106 and 107, the effective pulse ratio of each multiplication factor control signal is set so that the charge multiplication factors are equal. Specifically, the maximum charge multiplication factor (effective pulse ratio 1) of the two CMD-CCD imaging devices is compared, and first, the effective pulse ratio of the CMD-CCD imaging device with the smaller maximum charge multiplication factor is set to 1. Then, the maximum charge multiplication factor is adjusted so that the charge multiplication factor of the CMD-CCD imaging device having the larger maximum charge multiplication factor matches the maximum charge multiplication factor of the CMD-CCD imaging device having the smaller maximum charge multiplication factor. Set the effective pulse ratio of the larger CMD-CCD image pickup device.

【0054】

The same imaging operation is performed in the CMD-CCD image sensor 107, and all the signals forming the wideband image signal are read out. The magnification control signal input to the charge multiplication unit 24 of the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107 is output from the CCD driver 152 under the control of the controller 160.

【0055】

The image signal of the narrow-bandwidth fluorescent image output from the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 (hereinafter referred to as the narrow-band image signal) is processed by the signal processing circuit 131 of the image processing unit 130 and A / D. It is converted into a digital signal by the conversion circuit 131 and stored in the image memory 133. On the other hand, the image signal of the wide-waveband fluorescent image output from the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107 (hereinafter referred to as the wideband image signal) is processed by the signal processing circuit 134 of the image processing unit 130, and A / It is converted into a digital signal by the D conversion circuit 135 and stored in the image memory 136.

【0056】

In the fluorescent image generation circuit 137, the correspondence relationship between the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106 and the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup element 107 in advance for each pixel is stored, and a narrow band is stored for each corresponding pixel. A divided value obtained by dividing the signal strength of the image signal by the signal strength of the wideband image signal is calculated, a fluorescence diagnostic image signal to which a pseudo color is applied based on the divided value is created, and a video signal processing circuit 138 is adjusted to the display timing. Output to. The video signal processing circuit 138 converts the fluorescence diagnostic image signal into a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 180. A fluorescence diagnostic image 11 which is a pseudo color image is displayed on the monitor 180.

【0057】

The fluorescence diagnostic image 11 is displayed in a pseudo color in which the display color changes according to a change in the divided value obtained by dividing the signal intensity in the narrow wavelength band by the signal intensity in the wide wavelength band. It is preferable to set a pseudo color so that the difference in display color between the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue and the fluorescence emitted from the lesion tissue becomes clear. For example, the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue becomes white and the lesion tissue becomes white. By displaying the pseudo-color so that the fluorescence emitted from the lesion becomes pink or another color, the observer can easily recognize the lesion tissue.

【0058】

As is clear from the above explanation, the charge multipliers of the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 are applied to the charge multipliers of the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 by the control of the controller 160 so that the charge multipliers are the same. Since the effective pulse ratio of the magnification control signal is set, the image captured by the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and the CMD- are due to the variation in the charge magnification ratio between the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and 107. It is possible to prevent an error in the division value between the images captured by the CCD image sensor 107, and to display a fluorescence diagnostic image that reflects the shape of the fluorescence spectrum. Further, since the signal charge is multiplied by the maximum charge multiplication within the range in which the multiplication factor can be set equally, the charge multiplication ability of the two CMD-CCD image pickup devices can be used most efficiently. In addition, since the correction data is stored in the scope unit 100, the processor unit 1 simply captures the correction data for each connected scope and outputs a magnification control signal with an effective pulse ratio that matches each scope unit. can do.

【0059】

Further, as a modification of the present embodiment, the effective pulse ratio of each multiplication control signal may be set so that the charge multiplication factor in the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and 107 becomes a preset multiplication factor. .. In this case, since it is possible to acquire an image having a signal intensity that matches the case where the image is multiplied by a preset charge multiplication factor, for example, based on the signal intensity of the narrow band fluorescence image and the wide band fluorescence image. When creating a fluorescence diagnostic image by the color mixing method, it is possible to create a fluorescence diagnostic image in which the shape and fluorescence intensity of the fluorescence spectrum are reflected in the color. In addition, as the inventors filed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-134495 or Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-18242, in order to prevent division by 0 and divergence of the divided value, the calculation is performed after adding the offset value to the signal value. It is possible to reduce the error that occurs in the calculated value even when performing the above.

【0060】

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a second specific embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscope device. In FIG. 3, the elements equivalent to the elements in FIG. 1 are given the same number, and the description thereof will be omitted unless otherwise required.

【0061】

This fluorescent endoscopy device was emitted from the observation unit 10 irradiated with the excitation light Le by two CMD-CCD imaging elements 206 and 207 having a charge multiplying unit provided at the tip of the scope unit 200. A narrow band fluorescence image and a wide band fluorescence image are imaged from fluorescence, color information is created based on the division value of the light intensity of both fluorescence images, and the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 refers to near-infrared light. The IR reflected light image Zs, which is a reflected light image in the near-infrared wavelength band, is imaged from the reflected light of the observation unit 10 irradiated with the light Ls, and brightness information is created based on the light intensity of the IR reflected light image Zs. The fluorescence diagnostic image 12 obtained by synthesizing the image information is displayed on the monitor 180, and the deviation of the charge multiplication ratio in the CMD-CCD image pickup elements 206 and 207 is corrected by signal processing in the processor unit.

【0062】

The fluorescence endoscopic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes CMD-CCD imaging elements 206 and 207 having a charge multiplying portion at the tip, and is a scope portion inserted into a site suspected to be a lesion of a patient. 200, Lighting unit 220 equipped with a light source that emits excitation light Le for fluorescence image imaging and a light source that emits reference light Ls for IR reflected light image imaging, and assigns color information to the calculated values of the image signal of the fluorescence image. , The fluorescence image processing unit 230 that assigns brightness information to the image signal of the IR reflected light image, synthesizes the fluorescence diagnostic image signal, converts it into a video signal, and outputs it, and the CCD drive that controls the operation of the CMD-CCD image pickup device. It consists of a unit 250, a controller 260 that controls the operation of each unit, and a monitor 180 that displays the fluorescence diagnostic image 12. The lighting unit 220, the image processing unit 230, the CCD drive unit 250, and the controller 260 constitute the processor unit 2, and the scope unit 200, the processor unit 2, the processor unit 2, and the monitor 180 are connected by connectors (not shown). It is connected freely.

【0063】

The scope unit 200 includes a light guide 201 extending to the tip and a cable 202 inside. An illumination lens 104 and an objective lens 105 are provided at the tip of the light guide 201 and the cable 202, that is, the tip of the scope portion 100. Further, inside the objective lens 105, CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 having a charge multiplier are arranged. The CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and 207 are arranged at right angles through the half mirror 108, and a narrow band filter that transmits light in the wavelength band of 430 nm to 530 nm between the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and the half mirror 108. 109 is installed.

【0064】

The structures of the CMD-CCD image pickup devices 206 and 207 having the charge multiplying part are the same as those of the CMD-CCD image pickup devices 206 and 207 shown in FIG. 2, but the charges in the CMD-CCD image pickup devices 206 and 207 are respectively. The multiplication factor is controlled by the peak value of the voltage of the multiplication factor control signal output from the CCD drivers 252 and 252, which will be described later.

【0065】

In the drive line 103a to which the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 is transmitted, the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal immediately before being input to the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 is detected, and the detection signal is digitized. The output signal characteristic detection unit 204 is provided. In addition, the drive line 103c to which the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is transmitted detects the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal immediately before being input to the CMD-CCD image sensor 207, and digitizes the detection signal. The signal characteristic detection unit 205 for outputting the signal is provided.

【0066】

The light guide 201 is bundled with a light guide 201a for excitation light and a light guide 201b for reference light, and is integrated in a cable shape, and each light guide is connected to a lighting unit 220. In addition to the drive lines 103a and 103c, the output lines 103b and 103d, and the signal line 103e, the cable 202 transmits the signal line 203a for transmitting the detection signal of the signal characteristic detection unit 204 and the detection signal of the signal characteristic detection unit 205. It is combined with the signal line 203b to be transmitted. One end of the drive lines 103a and 103c is connected to the CCD drive unit 250, one end of the output lines 103b and 103d is connected to the image processing unit 230, and one end of the signal lines 203a and 203b is the controller 260 and the correction means described later. It is connected to 239 and one end of signal line 103e is connected to controller 260.

【0067】

The illumination unit 220 includes a GaN-based semiconductor laser 121, a power supply for an excitation light source 122, a reference light source 221 which is a semiconductor laser that emits reference light Ls which is near-infrared light for capturing an IR reflected light image, and a reference light source 221 thereof. It has a power supply 222 for a reference light source that is electrically connected. The irradiation of the excitation light Le and the reference light Ls is alternately performed under the control of the controller 260.

【0068】

The CCD drive unit 250 includes a CCD driver 251 that outputs an operation control signal that controls the operation timing of the CMD-CCD image pickup element 206 and a magnification control signal that controls the multiplication factor in the charge multiplication unit 24, and a CMD-CCD image pickup. It includes an operation control signal that controls the operation timing of the element 207 and a CCD driver 252 that outputs a magnification control signal that controls the magnification in the charge multiplier 24. The controller 260 can control the voltage peak value of the multiplier control signal, and the charge multiplier in the charge multiplier 24 changes according to the magnitude of the voltage peak value.

【0069】

The fluorescent image processing unit 230 is a signal processing circuit 231 that performs process processing of an image signal (hereinafter referred to as a narrow band image signal) imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup element 206 when irradiated with excitation light Le, and the signal processing. A / D conversion circuit 232 that digitizes the image signal obtained in circuit 231, image memory 233 that stores the digitized image signal, and CMD-CCD imaging when the excitation light Le or reference light Ls is irradiated. A signal processing circuit 234 that processes the signal captured by the element 207, an A / D conversion circuit 235 that digitizes the image signal obtained by the signal processing circuit 234, and an excitation light Le that digitizes the image signal. An image memory that stores the image signal received when the reference light Ls is irradiated (hereinafter referred to as the wideband image signal) and the image signal received when the reference light Ls is irradiated (hereinafter referred to as the IR reflected image signal) in different storage areas. The 236, the narrow band image signal stored in the image memory 233, and the dividing means 239 for calculating the signal strength division value of the wideband image signal stored in the image memory 236, and the dividing value calculated by the dividing means. A correction means 240 that applies correction processing to the correction means and a correction means 240. Color information is assigned based on the divided value corrected by, and luminance information is assigned based on the signal strength of the IR reflected image signal stored in the image memory 236, and the image signal having color information and the luminance information are assigned. It is equipped with an image compositing unit 237 that synthesizes the possessed image signals to generate a fluorescence diagnostic image signal, and a video signal processing circuit 238 that converts the fluorescence diagnostic image signal output from the image compositing unit 237 into a video signal and outputs it. ing.

【0070】

First, the correction means 240 performs m magnification control applied to the CMD-CCD image pickup element 206 almost immediately before among the detection signals (voltage peak values of the magnification control signal) input from the signal characteristic detection unit 204. The average value of the signal (strictly speaking, the magnification control signal pulse involved in the multiplication of the image signal to be corrected) and the detection signal (voltage peak value of the magnification control signal) input from the signal characteristic detection unit 204. Of these, the average value of m magnification control signals (strictly speaking, the magnification control signal pulse involved in the multiplication of the image signal to be corrected) applied to the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 almost immediately before is calculated. Then, based on the correction data stored in advance, the charge multiplication factor in each imaging element is obtained, the ratio is calculated, and the coefficient A so as to be equal to the preset ratio is obtained. The coefficient A is added to the division value read from the division means 234 and stored again for each pixel. The above correction data is created by the controller 360 in the calibration mode and stored in the correction means 240 in advance.

【0071】

The controller 260 operates in normal mode, which performs normal imaging operations, or in calibration mode, which acquires correction data for charge multiplication in CMD-CCD206 and 207, by selection with a manual switch (not shown). When the user attaches the scope unit 200 to the processor unit 2 for the first time, the user first selects the calibration mode. In the calibration mode, the controller 260 measures the relationship between the voltage peak value of the charge magnification control signal and the charge multiplication factor in the CMD-CCD image pickup elements 206 and 207, respectively, and the measurement result is stored in the memory of the scope unit 200. Save to 111. In the normal mode, the correction data is first read from the memory 111 and stored in the correction means 240. It also controls the operation of each unit. The details of the operation in the calibration mode will be described later.

【0072】

Hereinafter, the operation of the fluorescence endoscope device according to the present invention will be described. First, the operation in the calibration mode will be described, and then the operation in the normal mode in which normal imaging is performed will be described.

【0073】

When the scope unit 200 is attached to the processor unit 2 for the first time, the user selects the calibration mode using a manual switch (not shown). When the calibration mode is selected, the controller 260 first outputs a multiplier control signal whose voltage peak value is lower than the lower limit for charge multiplication to the CMD-CCD image sensor 206, and images in a shaded state. Then, the image signal is read out, the average signal value is calculated, and the average signal value is stored as a reference value. Next, the voltage peak value is slightly increased, imaging is performed in the same manner, the average signal value is calculated, and the average signal value is divided by the reference value. This division value is stored as a charge multiplication factor corresponding to the voltage peak value. The same operation is repeated until the voltage peak value reaches the maximum value. The same operation is performed for the CMD-CCD image sensor 207. The relationship between the voltage peak value and the charge multiplication factor in each of the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 acquired in this way is saved as correction data in the memory 111 of the scope unit 200. When acquiring the correction data, the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal applied to each of the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 is the signal characteristic detection units 204 and 205. Detected by. In the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207, the charge multiplication factor may change due to the influence of temperature, so when acquiring correction data in the calibration mode, the temperature is scoped to the temperature under normal operating conditions. It is preferable to keep the part 200.

【0074】

Next, the operation in the normal mode in which the normal imaging operation is performed will be described. When the normal mode is set by the manual switch, the controller 260 reads the correction data of the scope unit 200 from the memory 111 of the scope unit 200 and stores it in the correction means 240.

【0075】

Next, based on the signal from the controller 260, the power supply 122 for the excitation light source is driven, and the excitation light Le having a wavelength of 410 nm is emitted from the GaN-based semiconductor laser 121. The excitation light Le passes through the lens 123, is incident on the light guide 203a, is guided to the tip of the scope portion, and is then irradiated from the illumination lens 104 to the observation portion 10.

【0076】

The fluorescence from the observation unit 10 generated by irradiation with the excitation light Le is stored in the memory 233 as a narrow band image signal and the wide band image signal is stored in the memory 233 by an operation substantially similar to the imaging operation in the first embodiment. It is stored in 236.

【0077】

Next, the operation when imaging the IR reflected light image Zs of the reference light Ls will be described. Based on the signal from the controller 260, the reference light source power supply 222 is driven, and the reference light Ls, which is near-infrared light, is emitted from the reference light source 221. The reference light Ls passes through the lens 223, is incident on the light guide 203b, is guided to the tip of the scope portion, and is then irradiated from the illumination lens 104 to the observation portion 10.

【0078】

The reflected light of the reference light Ls reflected by the observation unit 10 is collected by the condenser lens 105, reflected by the half mirror 108, and imaged as an IR reflected light image Zs on the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207. Similar to the fluorescent image Zj, the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 performs vertical transfer, horizontal transfer, charge multiplication, charge detection and amplification of the signal charge photoelectrically converted by the light receiving unit 21, and outputs the signal charge from the output terminal 27. ..

【0079】

The signal output from the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 is processed by the signal processing circuit 234 of the fluorescent image processing unit 230 and output as an image signal, and is converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion circuit 235 to form an image. It is stored as an IR reflected image signal in a predetermined area of the memory 236. When the above narrow-band image signal is stored in the image memory 233 and the wide-band image signal and the IR-reflected image signal are stored in the image memory 236, first, in the dividing means 239, the narrow-band image signal is stored for each corresponding pixel. The divided value obtained by dividing by the signal strength of the wideband image signal is calculated.

【0080】

In the correction means 240, among the detection signals input from the signal characteristic detection unit 204, the average value of m magnification control signals applied to the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 almost immediately before and the signal characteristic detection unit 205 Of the input detection signals, the average value of m magnification control signals applied to the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 almost immediately before is calculated, and each image sensor is based on the correction data stored in advance. The charge multiplication factor in is calculated, the ratio is calculated, and the coefficient A is obtained so as to be equal to the preset ratio. The coefficient A is added to the division value calculated by the division means 239, and the coefficient A is stored again for each pixel. For example, if the preset charge multiplication ratio is 1 and the detected actual charge multiplication ratio is 0.9, the coefficient A becomes 10/9, and the correction means 240 signals each pixel. The value is multiplied by 10/9.

【0081】

The image compositing unit 237 assigns color information based on the corrected division value stored in the correction means 240, assigns luminance information based on the signal intensity of the IR reflected image signal stored in the image memory 236, and assigns color information. A fluorescence diagnostic image signal is generated based on the information and the luminance information, and is output to the video signal processing circuit 238. The video signal processing circuit 238 converts the fluorescence diagnostic image signal into a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 180. The fluorescence diagnostic image 12, which is a pseudo-color image, is displayed on the monitor 180.

【0082】

The display color of the fluorescence diagnostic image 12 changes according to the change in the relative ratio between the signal strength of the narrowband image signal and the signal strength of the wideband image signal, and the display color changes according to the signal strength of the IR reflected image signal of the reference light. It is displayed in a pseudo color that changes the brightness. By setting a pseudo color that makes the difference between the display color of the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue and the display color of the fluorescence emitted from the lesion tissue clear, for example, the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue is displayed in white and the lesion is formed. Fluorescence emitted from the tissue can be displayed as pink or another color. Therefore, the observer can easily recognize the lesion tissue. Further, since the brightness differs depending on the signal intensity of the IR reflected image signal, it is possible to display a fluorescence diagnostic image having unevenness of the observation portion and a sense of distance.

【0083】

As is clear from the above description, in the fluorescent endoscope device of the present embodiment, the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 takes an image based on the correction data acquired in advance by the correction means 240 under the control of the controller 260. Since the division value between the narrow-band image signal and the wideband image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is corrected to be equal to the division value when imaged at a predetermined charge multiplication factor, the CMD-CCD image sensor is imaged. It is possible to prevent an error in the calculated value between the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 due to the variation in the charge multiplication ratio between the elements 206 and 207. It is possible to display a fluorescence diagnostic image that reflects the shape of the fluorescence spectrum. Since the division value is corrected using the correction means 240, the hardware of the CCD drivers 251 and 252 can be simplified, and the device configuration can be simplified.

【0084】

Further, since the correction data is stored in the scope unit 200, the processor unit 2 can perform correction according to each scope unit only by fetching the correction data for each connected scope.

【0085】

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, in the calibration mode, the correction data of each scope unit is stored in the memory of the scope unit, but as a modified example, for example, in the memory of the scope unit. , Only the ID number of each scope unit may be stored in advance, and the correction data corresponding to the ID number may be stored in the processor unit. In this case, in the normal mode, when the scope unit is attached to the processor unit, the processor unit may read the ID number of the scope unit and use the correction data corresponding to the ID number.

【0086】

Alternatively, instead of the half mirror 108, a dichroic mirror that transmits light in a narrow wavelength band (430 nm to 530 nm) and reflects light in the remaining wavelength band can be used. In this case, the sum of the image signals captured by the two CMD-CCD image sensors may be used as the broadband image signal. In addition, the narrow band filter 109 is not required, and the incident light can be efficiently imaged.

【0087】

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a third specific embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscope device. In FIG. 4, the elements equivalent to the elements in FIGS. 1 and 3 are given the same number, and the description thereof will be omitted unless otherwise required.

【0088】

This fluorescent endoscopy device is a wideband fluorescence from the fluorescence emitted from the observation unit 10 irradiated with the excitation light Le by the CMD-CCD image sensor 107 having a charge multiplying unit provided at the tip of the scope unit 300. The IR reflected light image Zs which is a reflected light image in the near-infrared wavelength band from the reflected light of the observation unit 10 which has imaged the image and was irradiated with the reference light Ls which is the near-infrared light by the CMD-CCD image sensor 106. To create a pseudo-color image according to the ratio of the signal intensity of the image signal of the wideband fluorescent image and the image signal of the IR reflected light image Zs, and display it as the fluorescent diagnostic image 13 on the monitor 180. By controlling the effective pulse ratio of the magnification control signal, the charge multiplication factor between the two CMD-CCD image sensors is corrected to a predetermined magnification, and the dark noise correction stored in the scope unit in advance. Based on the data, the dark noise in the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and 107 is corrected.

【0089】

The fluorescent endoscopy device according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a CMD-CCD image pickup device having a charge multiplying portion at the tip, a scope portion 300 inserted into a site suspected to be a lesion of a patient, and illumination. Unit 220, fluorescent image processing unit 330 that creates a pseudo-color image according to the ratio of the signal intensity of the image signal of the wideband fluorescent image and the image signal of the IR reflected light image Zs, converts it into a video signal, and outputs it, and CMD- It consists of a CCD drive unit 150 that controls the operation of the CCD image sensor, a controller 360 that controls the operation of each unit, and a monitor 180 that displays the fluorescence diagnostic image 13. The lighting unit 220, the image processing unit 330, the CCD drive unit 340, and the controller 360 constitute the processor unit 3, and the scope unit 300, the processor unit 3, the processor unit 3, and the monitor 180 are connected by connectors (not shown). It is connected freely.

【0090】

The scope unit 300 includes a light guide 201 extending to the tip and a cable 302 inside. At the tips of the light guide 201 and the cable 302, CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107 having charge multipliers are arranged at right angles via the dichroic mirror 301. In addition, a temperature sensor 304 is provided near the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 and 107. The dichroic mirror 301 transmits light having a wavelength of 700 nm or more, and reflects light in other wavelength bands at a right angle.

【0091】

The cable 302 is a combination of drive lines 103a and 103c, output lines 103b and 103d, a signal line 103e, and a signal line 303a that transmits the detection signal of the temperature sensor 304. One end of the drive lines 103a and 103c is connected to the CCD drive unit 150, one end of the output lines 103b and 103d is connected to the image processing unit 330, and one end of the signal line 303a is connected to the correction means 339 and 340 described later. Has been done.

【0092】

In the present embodiment, the dark noise correction data is measured and stored in the memory 111 as a look-up table before the scope unit 300 is shipped. As shown in FIG. 5, the lookup table for the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 has a correction value α (dark noise corrected) corresponding to the signal strength of the input image signal and the detection temperature in the vicinity of the image sensor. The image signal value) is output, and corresponds to the case where the charge multiplication factor is 10 times. As shown in FIG. 6, the lookup table for the CMD-CCD image sensor 107 has a correction value β (dark noise-corrected image signal) with respect to the signal strength of the input image signal and the detection temperature in the vicinity of the image sensor. ) Is output, and corresponds to the case where the charge multiplication factor is 100 times. In the look-up table shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the input image signal is discretized to about 10 bits.

【0093】

The fluorescent image processing unit 330 includes a signal processing circuit 331 that performs process processing of an image signal (hereinafter referred to as an IR reflected image) imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106 when the reference light Ls is irradiated, and the signal processing. An A / D conversion circuit 332 that digitizes the image signal obtained by circuit 331, a dark noise correction means 339 that corrects the dark noise of the digitized image signal, and an image memory that stores the corrected image signal. 333, a signal processing circuit 334 that performs process processing of a signal (hereinafter referred to as a broadband image signal) imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107 when irradiated with the excitation light Le, and a signal processing circuit 334 obtained by the signal processing circuit 334. An A / D conversion circuit 335 that digitizes the digitized image signal, a dark noise correction means 340 that corrects the dark noise of the digitized image signal, an image memory 336 that stores the corrected image signal, and an image memory. An image synthesizer that generates a fluorescence diagnostic image signal, which is a pseudo-color image based on the ratio of the signal intensity of the corrected IR reflection image signal stored in 333 and the corrected wideband image signal stored in image memory 336. 337 and image compositing unit 337 It is equipped with a video signal processing circuit 338 that converts the fluorescence diagnostic image signal output from the above into a video signal and outputs it.

【0094】

The dark noise correction means 339 and 340 take in a look-up table for dark noise correction from the memory 111 of the scope unit 300 via the controller 360, and obtain and store the correction value corresponding to the input image signal. is there.

【0095】

The controller 360 operates in normal mode, which performs normal imaging operations, or in calibration mode, which acquires correction data for charge multiplication in CMD-CCD106 and 107, by selection with a manual switch (not shown). When the user attaches the scope unit 300 to the processor unit 3 for the first time, the user first selects the calibration mode. In the calibration mode, the relationship between the effective pulse ratio and the charge multiplication factor is measured in each of the CMD-CCD image sensors 106 and 107, and the measurement result is increased in the memory 111 of the scope unit 300 for each image sensor. Store as magnification correction data. Further, in the normal mode, the charge multiplication factor correction data stored in the memory 111 of the scope unit 300 is read out, and based on this correction data, the charge charge multiplier in the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 is increased by 10 times. The effective pulse ratio of the magnification control signal output from each CCD driver 151 and 152 is controlled so that the charge multiplication factor in the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107 becomes 100 times. Also memory 111 The dark noise correction data (look-up table) stored in advance in is read out and stored in the correction means 339 and 340.

【0096】

Hereinafter, the operation of the fluorescence endoscope device according to the present invention will be described. Since the operation in the calibration mode is the same as that in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted, and the operation in the normal mode in which the normal imaging operation is performed will be described. When the normal mode is set by the manual switch, the controller 360 first reads and stores the charge multiplication correction data of the scope unit 300 from the memory 111 of the scope unit 300, and based on this correction data, the controller 360 reads and stores the charge multiplication correction data of the scope unit 300. Increase control signals output from each CCD driver 151 and 152 so that the charge charge multiplication factor of the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106 becomes 10 times and the charge increase factor of the CMD-CCD image pickup element 107 becomes 100 times. Controls the effective pulse ratio of.

【0097】

Further, the dark noise correction data (lookup table) is read from the memory 111, the lookup table for the CMD-CCD image sensor 106 shown in FIG. 5 is stored in the dark noise correction means 339, and the CMD-CCD image sensor shown in FIG. 6 is stored. The lookup table for 107 is stored in the dark noise correction means 340.

【0098】

Next, based on the signal from the controller 360, the excitation light Le emitted from the lighting unit 220 is irradiated to the observation unit 10. The broadband fluorescence image is imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 107 due to the fluorescence from the observation unit 10 generated by irradiation with the excitation light Le, and is processed by the signal processing circuit 334 of the fluorescence image processing unit 330 to perform the broadband image. It is output as a signal, digitized by the A / D conversion circuit 335, the correction value β is obtained for each image signal by the dark noise correction means 340, and the corrected image signal is stored in the image memory 336.

【0099】

Further, the operation when imaging the IR reflected light image Zs of the reference light Ls will be described. Based on the signal from the controller 360, the reference light Ls emitted from the lighting unit 220 is applied to the observation unit 10.

【0100】

The reflected light of the reference light Ls reflected by the observation unit 10 is collected by the condenser lens 105, passes through the dichroic mirror 301, and is imaged as an IR reflected light image Zs on the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106. .. The image is taken by the CMD-CCD image sensor 106. The signal output from the CMD-CCD image pickup element 106 is processed by the signal processing circuit 331 of the fluorescent image processing unit 330, output as an IR reflected image signal, and converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion circuit 332. In the dark noise correction means 339, a correction value α is obtained for each image signal, and the corrected image signal is stored in the image memory 333 as an IR reflection image signal.

【0101】

When the corrected wideband image signal is stored in the image memory 336 and the corrected IR reflection image signal is stored in the image memory 333, the image synthesizer 337 stores the corrected wideband image signal and the corrected IR reflection image. A fluorescence diagnostic image signal, which is a pseudo-color image signal, is generated based on the signal ratio and output to the video signal processing circuit 338. The video signal processing circuit 338 converts the fluorescence diagnostic image signal into a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 180. The fluorescence diagnostic image 13, which is a pseudo-color image, is displayed on the monitor 180.

【0102】

The fluorescence diagnostic image 13 is displayed in a pseudo color in which the display color changes according to the ratio of the signal intensity in the wide wavelength band of the fluorescence image to the signal intensity of the IR reflected light image. It is preferable to set a pseudo color so that the difference in display color between the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue and the fluorescence emitted from the lesion tissue becomes clear. For example, the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue becomes white and the lesion tissue becomes white. By displaying the pseudo-color so that the fluorescence emitted from the lesion becomes pink or another color, the observer can easily recognize the lesion tissue.

【0103】

As is clear from the above explanation, the effective pulse ratio of each multiplication control signal is set so that the charge multiplication factors of the CMD-CCD image pickup elements 106 and 107 become predetermined charge multiplication factors under the control of the controller 360. Therefore, due to the variation in the charge magnification ratio between the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 and 107, the ratio between the image captured by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 106 and the image captured by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 107 is increased. It is possible to prevent an error from occurring, and it is possible to display a fluorescence diagnostic image that reflects the fluorescence yield. Further, dark noise can be corrected based on the temperature in the vicinity of the image sensor, and a more accurate ratio between images can be obtained.

【0104】

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a fourth specific embodiment according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscope device. In FIG. 7, the elements equivalent to the elements in FIG. 3 are given the same number, and the description thereof will be omitted unless otherwise required.

【0105】

This fluorescent endoscopy device is the observation unit 10 in which surface-sequential light (Lr, Lg, Lb) is irradiated by the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 provided at the tip of the scope unit 400 and having a charge multiplying unit. The normal image, which is the reflected light, is imaged, the normal image 14 created by normal color signal processing is displayed on the monitor 180, and the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 emits the normal image Le from the observation unit 10 irradiated with the excitation light Le. A broadband fluorescence image is imaged from the obtained fluorescence, and a fluorescence diagnostic image 15 is created from the color information created based on the signal intensity of the broadband fluorescence image and the brightness information of the normal image and the brightness information of the normal image, and monitored. 180 Displayed on the 180, the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal applied to the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and 207 and the temperature of the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and 207 are measured, and a pre-made three-dimensional structure is created. The lookup table is used to correct the charge multiplication factor of the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207.

【0106】

The fluorescent endoscopic apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes a CMD-CCD imaging device having a charge multiplying portion at the tip, and is a scope portion 400 inserted into a site suspected to be a lesion of a patient, usually Lighting unit 420 including a light source that emits surface-sequential light (R light Lr, G light Lg, and B light Lb) that is illumination light for image imaging and a light source that emits excitation light Le for fluorescence image imaging. A normal image processing unit 430 that corrects the generated image signal and generates and outputs a normal image, a fluorescent image processing unit 440 that corrects the captured image signal and generates and outputs a fluorescence diagnostic image, and a CCD drive unit 250. It consists of a controller 460 that controls the operation of each unit, and a monitor 180 that displays a normal image 14 and a fluorescence diagnostic image 15. The lighting unit 420, the normal image processing unit 430, the fluorescent image processing unit 440, the CCD drive unit 250, and the controller 460 constitute the processor unit 4, and the scope unit 400 and the processor unit 4, the processor unit 4, and the monitor 180 are respectively. It is connected in a detachable manner by a connector (not shown).

【0107】

The scope unit 400 includes a light guide 401 and a cable 402 that extend to the tip inside. An illumination lens 104 and an objective lens 105 are provided at the tips of the light guide 401 and the cable 402, that is, the tips of the scope section 400. Further, inside the objective lens 105, CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 having a charge multiplier are arranged. The CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 are arranged at right angles via the half mirror 108. The drive line 103a to which the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 is transmitted and the drive line 103c to which the drive signal of the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is transmitted have signal characteristics for detecting the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal. A detection unit 204 and a signal characteristic detection unit 205 are provided. A temperature sensor 304 is provided near the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207.

【0108】

The light guide 401 is bundled with a light guide 401a for excitation light and a light guide 401b for illumination light, and is integrated in a cable shape, and each light guide is connected to a lighting unit 420. The cable 402 includes drive lines 103a and 103c, output lines 103b and 103d, a signal line 103e connected to the memory 111, a signal line 403a for transmitting the detection signal of the signal characteristic detection unit 204, and a signal characteristic detection unit 205. The signal line 403b that transmits the detection signal of the above is combined with the signal line 403c that is connected to the temperature sensor 304. One end of the drive lines 103a and 103c is connected to the CCD drive unit 250, one end of the output line 103b is connected to the normal image processing unit 430, and one end of the output line 103d is connected to the fluorescent image processing unit 440 to signal. One end of the line 403a is connected to the correction means 433 described later, one end of the signal line 403b is connected to the correction means 443 described later, and one end of the signal line 403c is connected to the correction means 433 and 443 of the signal line 103e. One end is controller 460 Is connected to.

【0109】

In the present embodiment, the charge magnification correction data is measured before the scope unit 400 is shipped, and is stored in the memory 111 as a three-dimensional lookup table. As shown in FIG. 8, the three-dimensional lookup table for the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 is a correction value for the signal strength of the input image signal, the voltage peak value of the magnification control signal, and the detection temperature of the image sensor. (Signal strength with corrected charge multiplication factor) is output, and corresponds to the case where the charge multiplication factor is 10 times. The 3D look-up table for the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is configured in the same manner, and corresponds to the case where the charge multiplication factor is 100 times.

【0110】

The lighting unit 420 uses a GaN-based semiconductor laser 121, a power supply for an excitation light source 122, a white light source 421 that emits white light, a power supply 422 for a white light source, and sequentially color-separates white light into R light, G light, and B light. It is equipped with a switching filter 423 and a filter rotating unit 424 that rotates the switching filter 423.

【0111】

Normally, the image processing unit 430 outputs from a signal processing circuit 431 that performs process processing on the signal received by the CMD-CCD image pickup element 206 when irradiated with R light Lr, G light Lg, or B light Lb, and the signal processing circuit. A / D conversion circuit 432 that digitizes the digitized image signal, correction means 433 that corrects the charge multiplication factor of the digitized image signal, image memory 434 that stores the corrected image signal for each color, and image memory. Color information / brightness information generation means 435 that generates color information and brightness information from the image signal stored in 434, normal image synthesis unit 436 that synthesizes normal image signals from color information and brightness information, and normal image synthesis unit 436. It is provided with a video signal processing circuit 437 that converts the normal image signal output from

【0112】

The fluorescent image processing unit 440 is a signal processing circuit 441 that performs process processing of a signal (hereinafter referred to as a broadband image signal) imaged by the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 when irradiated with excitation light Le, and the signal processing circuit 441. A / D conversion circuit 442 that digitizes the image signal obtained in, correction means 443 that corrects the charge multiplication factor of the digitized image signal, image memory 444 that stores the corrected image signal, and image memory 444. The color information generation means 445 that generates color information based on the broadband image signal stored in the above and the brightness information of the normal image read from the color information / brightness information generation means 435, and the color generated by the color information generation means 445. It is equipped with a fluorescence diagnostic image synthesizer 446 that synthesizes a fluorescence diagnostic image from information and brightness information read from the color information / brightness information generation means 435 and outputs the fluorescence diagnostic image to the video signal processing circuit 437.

【0113】

The correction means 433 CMD almost immediately before the signal value of the image signal output from the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and the detection signal (voltage peak value of the magnification control signal) input from the signal characteristic detection unit 204. -The correction value is obtained based on the average value of m magnification control signals applied to the CCD image sensor 206, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 304, and the three-dimensional lookup table, and is stored again for each pixel. It is a thing. In the three-dimensional look-up table, when the scope unit 400 is connected to the processor unit 4, the controller 460 reads out what is stored in the memory 111 in advance and stores it in the correction means 433. For example, if 10 times is set as the charge multiplication factor, the signal value multiplied by 10 times is output by correcting the variation of the multiplication factor control signal and the fluctuation of the charge multiplication factor due to the temperature change. To.

【0114】

Similarly, the correction means 443 also includes a pre-stored three-dimensional look-up table, the signal value of the image signal output from the CMD-CCD image sensor 207, and the average value of the detection signals input from the signal characteristic detection unit 205. , The correction value is obtained based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 304, and is stored again for each pixel. For example, if 100 times is set as the charge multiplication factor, the signal value multiplied by 100 times is output by correcting the variation of the multiplication factor control signal and the fluctuation of the charge multiplication factor due to the temperature change. To.

【0115】

When the scope unit 400 is attached to the processor unit 4, the controller 460 first reads the three-dimensional look-up table for charge multiplication correction of the CMD-CCD image sensors 206 and 207 from the memory 111, and goes to the correction means 433 and 443. It is memorized, and then normal operation control is performed.

【0116】

Hereinafter, the operation of the fluorescence endoscopy device according to the present invention will be described. In this fluorescence endoscopy device, the imaging of a normal image and the imaging of a fluorescence image are performed in a time-divided manner, and the normal image 14 based on the normal image (Zr, Zg, Zb), the fluorescence image Zj, and the normal image are taken. The fluorescence diagnostic image 15 based on the brightness information of Zj is displayed on the monitor 180. In order to capture each image in a time-division manner, R light Lr, G light Lg, B light Lb, and excitation light Le are sequentially emitted from the illumination unit 310.

【0117】

First, the operation when displaying a normal image will be briefly described. The R light Lr is applied to the observation unit 10, and the reflected light of the R light Lr reflected by the observation unit 10 is imaged as an R light reflection image Zr on the CMD-CCD image pickup device 206. The signal output from the CMD-CCD image pickup element 206 is normally processed by the signal processing circuit 431 of the image processing unit 430, output as an R image signal, and converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion circuit 432. .. In the correction means 433, the three-dimensional look-up table stored in advance, the signal value of the image signal output from the CMD-CCD image sensor 206, and the average value of the detection signals input from the signal characteristic detection unit 204 are used. A correction value corresponding to a charge multiplication factor of 10 times is obtained based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 304.

【0118】

This corrected image signal is stored in the storage area of the R image signal of the image memory 434. After that, the G image signal and the B image signal are acquired by the same operation, and are stored in the storage area of the G image signal and the storage area of the B image signal of the image memory 434, respectively.

【0119】

When the three-color image signals are stored in the image memory 434, the color information / luminance information generation means 435 generates color information and luminance information from the three-color image signals. The normal image synthesizer 436 generates a normal image signal from the color information and the luminance information and outputs the normal image signal to the video signal processing circuit 437. The normal image signal is converted into a video signal, output to the monitor 180, and displayed as a normal image 14 which is a color image.

【0120】

Next, the operation when displaying the fluorescence diagnostic image will be described. Based on the signal from the controller 460, the excitation light Le is emitted from the illumination unit 420 and is irradiated to the observation unit 10.

【0121】

The fluorescence from the observation unit 10 generated by irradiation with the excitation light Le is imaged as a fluorescence image Zj on the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207. The signal output from the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 (hereinafter referred to as the broadband image signal) is processed by the signal processing circuit 441 of the fluorescent image processing unit 440 and converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion circuit 442. Will be done. In the correction means 443, the three-dimensional lookup table stored in advance, the signal value of the image signal output from the CMD-CCD image sensor 207, and the average value of the detection signals input from the signal characteristic detection unit 205 are used. A correction value corresponding to a charge multiplication factor of 100 times is obtained based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 304, and is stored in the image memory 434 for each pixel.

【0122】

The color information generating means 445 generates color information based on the broadband image signal stored in the image memory 434 and the luminance information of the normal image read from the color information / luminance information generating means 435. The fluorescence diagnostic image synthesizing unit 446 synthesizes a fluorescence diagnostic image from the color information generated by the color information generating means 445 and the luminance information read from the color information / luminance information generating means 435 and outputs the fluorescence diagnostic image to the video signal processing circuit 437. .. The fluorescence diagnostic image signal is converted into a video signal, output to the monitor 180, and displayed as the fluorescence diagnostic image 15 which is a pseudo color image.

【0123】

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9D, the exposure with surface-sequential light (R light, G light or B light) and the exposure with excitation light are 1 / 30s. It is done in time division every time. As the image signal of the normal image, the valid image signal and the invalid image signal are alternately read out, and only the valid image signal is used. Further, since the light is divided by the half mirror 108, the normal light is also incident on the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 at the time of exposure with the normal light. Due to this exposure with normal light, unnecessary charges are accumulated in the CMD-CCD image sensor 207. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9 (e), the controller 460 as a charge clearing means applies a reset pulse to the CMD-CCD image pickup device 207 immediately before the excitation light is irradiated to clear unnecessary charges. doing. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an image with an improved S / N that is less affected by unnecessary charges. Further, since the charge clearing by the reset pulse acts as an optical shutter, the physical shutter becomes unnecessary, and the degree of freedom in arranging the solid-state image sensor is improved.

【0124】

The fluorescence diagnostic image 15 is displayed in a pseudo color in which the display color changes based on the signal intensity of the broadband image signal of the fluorescence image and the brightness information of the normal image, and the brightness changes according to the brightness information of the normal image. ing. By setting a pseudo color that makes the difference between the display color of the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue and the display color of the fluorescence emitted from the lesion tissue clear, for example, the fluorescence emitted from the normal tissue is displayed in white and the lesion is formed. Fluorescence emitted from the tissue can be displayed as pink or another color. Therefore, the observer can easily recognize the lesion tissue. Further, since the brightness differs depending on the brightness information of the normal image, it is possible to display a fluorescence diagnostic image having unevenness of the observation portion and a sense of distance.

【0125】

As is clear from the above description, in the fluorescent endoscope device of the present embodiment, the correction data acquired in advance by the correction means 433 and 443, the voltage peak value of the charge multiplication control signal, and the solid-state image sensor. The charge multiplication factor can be corrected based on the temperature, and the same signal value as in the case of multiplying by a desired charge multiplication factor can be obtained. Therefore, due to the variation in the charge multiplication ratio between the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and 207, the calculated value between the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 206 and the image signal imaged by the CMD-CCD image sensor 207. It is possible to prevent an error from occurring in the image, and it is possible to display a fluorescence diagnostic image that reflects the fluorescence yield.

【0126】

In addition, since the unnecessary charge accumulated in the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is cleared by the irradiation of normal light before the excitation light is irradiated, a fluorescence image with improved S / N that is less affected by the unnecessary charge can be obtained. Can be obtained. Moreover, since the charge clearing operation can be used as an optical shutter, the degree of freedom in arranging the CMD-CCD image sensor 207 is improved. Further, since the correction data is stored in the scope unit 400, the processor unit 4 can perform correction according to each scope unit only by importing the correction data for each connected scope unit.

【0127】

In the present embodiment, the correction data (three-dimensional lookup table) of each scope unit is stored in the memory 111 of the scope unit 400, but as a modified example, the correction data is associated with each scope unit ID number. It is also possible to store it in the server of the network and store only the ID number of each scope part in the memory of the scope part in advance. In this case, when the scope unit 400 is attached to the processor unit 4, the controller 460 reads the correction data corresponding to the ID number of the scope unit 400 from the memory 111 from the server via the network, and the correction means 433 and the correction means 433 You can store it in 443.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

Schematic configuration diagram of the fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to the first specific embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]

Schematic configuration diagram of a CMD-CCD image sensor used in the fluorescence endoscopy device of the first specific embodiment. [Fig. 3]

Schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a second specific embodiment according to the present invention. [Fig. 4]

Schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a third specific embodiment according to the present invention. [Fig. 5]

Explanatory drawing of the look-up table [Fig. 6]

Explanatory drawing of the look-up table [Fig. 7]

Schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescence endoscopy apparatus according to a fourth specific embodiment according to the present invention. [Fig. 8]

Explanatory drawing of 3D look-up table [Fig. 9]

Explanatory drawing of imaging timing [Explanation of symbols]

1,2,3,4 Processor section 10 Observation section 11,12,13,15 Fluorescence diagnostic image 14 Normal image 21 Receiver 22 Accumulation section 23 Horizontal transfer section 24 Charge multiplier 25 Output section 31,33 Vertical transfer CCD 35 Horizontal transfer CCD 36 Charge multiplying cell 100,200,300,400 Scope 106,107,206,207 CMD-CCD image sensor 111 memory 120,220,420 Lighting unit 130,230,330,440 Fluorescent image processing unit 150,250 CCD drive unit 160,260,360,460 controller 190 monitor 151,152,251,252 CCD driver 204,205 Signal characteristic detector 240,433,443 Correction means 304 temperature sensor 339,340 Dark noise correction means 430 Normal image processing unit