Endoscope with multiple views and novel configurations adapted thereto

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having a single shaft having a distal end receivable in a hollow gastrointestinal tract and a proximal end, the shaft extending from the proximal end along a longitudinal axis in a forward direction towards the distal end, the distal end having an end surface defining a vertical reference plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the endoscope having, at or near the distal end, multiple cameras disposed when in operation, each of the multiple cameras having a different respective field of view (FOV), the multiple cameras including a subset of at least two side view cameras each disposed on a respective side periphery of the single shaft and having a respective sideward FOV including a respective obtuse angle to the forward direction of the longitudinal axis, the multiple cameras further including one front view camera disposed facing the forward direction of the longitudinal axis and having a frontward FOV, the multiple cameras further including a rear view camera disposed in front of the distal end, facing a rearward direction of the longitudinal axis, and having a rearward FOV covering at least one portion of the end surface of the distal end;
• and
• an image processing box adapted to receive respective images of the different respective FOVs from the respective multiple cameras and process the received respective image to form a consolidated image using image-stitching techniques, the consolidated image configured to cover a 360-degree view with respect to at least one point on the end surface of the distal end, the 360-degree view being in a horizontal reference plane orthogonal to the vertical reference plane, the horizontal reference plane being in parallel to, or encompassing, the longitudinal axis.