Endoscope system, processor device, and method for operating endoscope system

An endoscope system comprising:

• an illuminating section for illuminating a subject;
• an image signal obtaining section for receiving and imaging reflection light from a subject illuminated by the illuminating section, to obtain a first image signal, a second image signal, and a third image signal, the first image signal corresponding to first reflection light including a first wavelength range in a green region, an extinction coefficient varying in accordance with an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood in the first wavelength range, the second image signal corresponding to second reflection light including a second wavelength range in a red region, the third image signal being used for standardizing the first and the second image signals, the third image signal corresponding to third reflection light including a third wavelength range in a green region, the third wavelength range differing from the first and the second wavelength ranges;
• an image generator for producing an oxygen saturation image based on the first to the third image signals, the oxygen saturation level being visualized in the oxygen saturation image;
• and
• a display section for displaying the oxygen saturation image.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an illuminating section for illuminating a subject;
• an image signal obtaining section for receiving and imaging reflection light from a subject illuminated by the illuminating section, to obtain a first image signal, a second image signal, and a third image signal, the first image signal corresponding to first reflection light including a first wavelength range in a blue region, an extinction coefficient varying in accordance with an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood in the first wavelength range, the second image signal corresponding to second reflection light including a second wavelength range in a red region, the third image signal being used for standardizing the first and the second image signals, the third image signal corresponding to third reflection light including a third wavelength range in a green region, the third wavelength range differing from the first and the second wavelength ranges;
• a standardization signal obtaining section for obtaining a first standardization signal and a second standardization signal, the first standardization signal being obtained by standardizing the first image signal with the third image signal, the second standardization signal being obtained by standardizing the second image signal with the third image signal;
• an image generator for producing an oxygen saturation image with the use of a first correlation between the first standardization signal and first color information and for producing a blood volume image with the use of a second correlation between the second standardization signal and second color information, the oxygen saturation level being visualized in the oxygen saturation image, the blood volume being visualized in the blood volume image;
• and
• a display section for displaying the oxygen saturation image and the blood volume image.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an illuminating section for illuminating a subject;
• an image signal obtaining section for receiving and imaging reflection light from a subject illuminated by the illuminating section, to obtain a first image signal and a third image signal, the first image signal corresponding to first reflection light including a first wavelength range in a blue region, an extinction coefficient varying in accordance with an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood in the first wavelength range, the third image signal corresponding to third reflection light including a third wavelength range in a green region, the third image signal being used for standardizing the first image signal, the third wavelength range differing from the first wavelength range;
• a standardization signal obtaining section for standardizing the first image signal with the third image signal to obtain a first standardization signal;
• an image generator for producing an oxygen saturation image with the use of a first correlation between the first standardization signal and first color information, the oxygen saturation level being visualized in the oxygen saturation image;
• and
• a display section for displaying the oxygen saturation image.

A processor device used with an endoscope device for receiving and imaging reflection light from a subject illuminated with an illuminating section, to obtain first to third image signals, the first image signal corresponding to first reflection light including a first wavelength range in a blue region, an extinction coefficient varying in accordance with an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood in the first wavelength range, the second image signal corresponding to second reflection light including a second wavelength range in a red region, the third image signal being used for standardizing the first and the second image signals, the third image signal corresponding to third reflection light including a third wavelength range in a green region, the third wavelength range differing from the first and the second wavelength ranges;

• the processor device comprising:
• a receiver for receiving the first to the third image signals from the endoscope device;
• and
• an image generator for producing an oxygen saturation image based on the first to the third image signals, the oxygen saturation level being visualized in the oxygen saturation image.

A method for operating an endoscope system comprising the steps of:

• applying illumination light from an illuminating section;
• obtaining first to third image signals, the first to the third image signals being obtained by receiving and imaging reflection light from a subject with an image signal obtaining section, the first image signal corresponding to first reflection light including a first wavelength range in a blue region, an extinction coefficient varying in accordance with an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood in the first wavelength range, the second image signal corresponding to second reflection light including a second wavelength range in a red region, the third image signal being used for standardizing the first and the second image signals, the third image signal corresponding to third reflection light including a third wavelength range in a green region, the third wavelength range differing from the first and the second wavelength ranges;
• producing an oxygen saturation image based on the first to the third image signals with the use of an oxygen saturation image generator, the oxygen saturation level being visualized in the oxygen saturation image;
• and
• displaying the oxygen saturation image on a display section.