# US 2026/0100281 A1 · Image diagnosis assistance apparatus, image diagnosis assistance system and image diagnosis assistance method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0100281 A1 - Document ID: US20260100281A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/416,787 - Filed: 2025-12-11 - Published: 2026-04-09 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-05 - Assignees: Olympus Medical Systems Corp. - Applicants: Olympus Medical Systems Corp. - Inventors: Hiroshi SUZUKI; Shingo MIYAZAWA; Akira MATSUSHITA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260100281A1 ## CPC - G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems - A61B 1/045: Control thereof - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G06T 2207/10024: Color image - G06T 2207/10068: Endoscopic image - G06T 2207/20081: Training; Learning - G06T 2207/20084: Artificial neural networks [ANN] - G06T 2207/30096: Tumor; Lesion - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An image diagnosis assistance apparatus includes a processor including hardware, the processor being configured to select, as a diagnosis image, any one of a plurality of images that contain a same subject and on which sets of processing different from one another are executed, by executing an estimation process on the diagnosis image using a trained model, estimate a diagnostic candidate area serving as a diagnostic candidate in the diagnosis image and output reliability of the diagnostic candidate area, and when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area satisfies a given condition, switch the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images and execute the estimation process anew. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image diagnosis assistance apparatus comprising a processor comprising hardware, the processor being configured to select, as a diagnosis image, any one of a plurality of images that contain a same subject and on which sets of processing different from one another are executed, by executing an estimation process on the diagnosis image using a trained model, estimate a diagnostic candidate area serving as a diagnostic candidate in the diagnosis image and output reliability of the diagnostic candidate area, and when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area satisfies a given condition, switch the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images and execute the estimation process anew. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to make a notification of the diagnostic candidate area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of images include at least two of a first captured image obtained by capturing feedback light of light of a first wavelength band from the subject to which the light of the first wavelength band is applied, a trimming image obtained by enlarging a part of the first captured image, an image-quality-corrected image obtained by correcting image quality of the trimming image, and a second captured image obtained by capturing a feedback light of light of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band from the subject to which the light of the second wavelength band is applied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the trimming image is an image obtained by enlarging an area containing the diagnostic candidate area in the first captured image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a user operation of selecting any one of the plurality of images, and select any one of the plurality of images as the diagnosis image according to the user operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to set a permitted state where selecting any one of the plurality of images according to the user operation is permitted or a prohibited state where the selecting is prohibited. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area is a value representing accuracy of recognition in the diagnostic candidate area, and when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area is under a first threshold and is at or above a second threshold lower than the first threshold, the processor is configured to switch the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display a given image, wherein the processor is configured to cause the display to display the selected diagnosis image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area satisfies a given condition for a given number of times or for a given time, the processor is configured to switch the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to further transmit the diagnosis image and the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area to an external device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the diagnosis image is switched, the processor is configured to switch a training parameter of the trained model that is used for the estimation process to a training parameter corresponding to the switched diagnosis image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image diagnosis assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the diagnosis image is switched, the processor is configured to switch the trained model that is used for the estimation process to a trained model corresponding to the switched diagnosis image. ### Claim 13 An image diagnosis assistance system comprising: an imaging device configured to generate a captured image by capturing an image of a subject; and an image diagnosis assistance apparatus configured to process the captured image, the image diagnosis assistance apparatus comprising a processor comprising hardware, the processor being configured to select, as a diagnosis image, any one of a plurality of images that contain a same subject and on which sets of processing different from one another are executed on the captured image, by executing an estimation process on the diagnosis image using a trained model, estimate a diagnostic candidate area serving as a diagnostic candidate in the diagnosis image and output reliability of the diagnostic candidate area, and when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area satisfies a given condition, switch the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images and executes the estimation process anew. ### Claim 14 An image diagnosis assistance method that an image diagnosis assistance apparatus executes, the method comprising: selecting, as a diagnosis image, any one of a plurality of images that contain a same subject and on which sets of processing different from one another are executed; and by executing an estimation process on the diagnosis image using a trained model, estimating a diagnostic candidate area serving as a diagnostic candidate in the diagnosis image and outputting reliability of the diagnostic candidate area; and when the reliability of the diagnostic candidate area satisfies a given condition, switching the diagnosis image that is selected currently to another image of the plurality of images and executing the estimation process anew.