Biological image processing apparatus, method, non-transitory computer readable medium and biological image processing system

A biological image processing apparatus comprising:

• circuitry configured to
• receive, during a procedure, a first visual annotation image on a specified position in an operative field of a first operative field image that corresponds to a physical region of a biological subject;
• generate a first image and including the first operative field image of the biological subject and the first visual annotation image superimposed on the specified position,
• track the specified position over time;
• generate a second image and including a second operative field image and a second visual annotation image superimposed on estimated region of the second operative field image that corresponds the physical region of the biological subject to the physical region of the biological subject based on a track of the specified position such that the second visual annotation image is superimposed in a same position on the physical region of the biological subject as the first visual annotation image, wherein the second operative field image is an image subsequent to the first operative field image;
• conduct a masking display on a region of the first image in which the generated three-dimensional information has not been sufficiently constructed;
• in a case where the estimated region of the second operation field image that corresponds to the physical region of the biological subject includes the region of the first image in which the generated three-dimensional information has not been sufficiently constructed, the second image is generated without superimposing at least a portion of the second visual annotation image;
• and
• in a case where the estimated region of the second operation field image that corresponds to the physical region of the biological subject includes the region of the first image in which the generated three-dimensional information has not been sufficiently constructed, the first image is displayed as a still image instead of a moving image.

A endoscopic image processing system comprising:

• an endoscope including an imager that captures a second operative field image of a biological subject;
• circuitry configured to
• generate three-dimensional information indicating a three-dimensional structure of the biological subject:
• receive, during a procedure, a first visual annotation image on a specified position in an operative field of a first operative field image that corresponds to a physical region of the biological subject;
• according to a freeze mode input from a user interface device, generate a first image as a still image obtained from a moving image of an inside of the biological subject, wherein the first image includes the first operative field image of the biological subject and the first visual annotation image superimposed on the specified position;
• according to a writing mode input from the user interface device, receive information associating the first visual annotation image with the physical region of the biological subject;
• generate a second image by superimposing a second visual annotation image on a portion of the three-dimensional structure of the biological subject that corresponds to an estimated region of the second operative field image that is estimated to correspond to the physical region of the biological subject based on the estimated movement of the imager and the generated three-dimensional information;
• and
• a surgical tool that is moved inside the biological subject to perform a surgical procedure on the biological subject under the control of a healthcare worker based on the second visual annotation image in the second image based on a track of the specified position, wherein the second operative field image is an image subsequent to the first operative field image.