Inspection apparatus and inspection method

An inspection apparatus comprising:

• a specification unit configured to specify a continuous region in a sample in which at least one pattern is formed, the continuous region being where a substantially equivalent predetermined property is continuous in a first direction;
• an acquisition unit configured to acquire a difference image based on a comparison between a captured image and a reference image of the sample;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine a defect in a predetermined processing region within a region corresponding to the continuous region in the difference image, based on a parameter based on the difference image in a center region, a parameter based on the difference image in a first peripheral region more on a first side in the first direction than the center region, and a parameter based on the difference image in a second peripheral region more on a second side in the first direction than the center region.