System for stereo reconstruction from monoscopic endoscope images

A system for stereo reconstruction from a monoscopic endoscope, said monoscopic endoscope comprising an image pick-up element at a distal end thereof and a working channel within a body of said monoscopic endoscope so as to provide a port at said distal end of said monoscopic endoscope, said system for stereo reconstruction comprising:

• a first illumination source and a second illumination source being configured to emit light of different colors;
• a light patterning component configured to be disposed within said working channel of said monoscopic endoscope such that a light emitting end of said light patterning component will be fixed with a defined relative distance from said distal end of said monoscopic endoscope, said light patterning component being further configured to receive the light of different colors at a proximal end of said monoscopic endoscope;
• and
• a data processor adapted to be in communication with said image pick-up element,
• wherein the first illumination source is configured to emit a first plurality of lines extending in a first direction and the second illumination source is configured to emit a second plurality of lines extending in a second direction different from said first direction,
• wherein said first plurality of lines and said second plurality of lines are of said different colors,
• wherein said first plurality of lines and said second plurality of lines together form a pattern of light in a shape of a grid that is projected onto a region of interest,
• wherein said data processor is configured to receive an image signal of said region of interest that includes said pattern, and
• wherein said data processor is further configured to determine a distance from said monoscopic endoscope to said region of interest based on said image signal and based on said defined relative distance between said light emitting end of said light patterning component and said distal end of said image pick-up element.