Fluorescent endoscope system enabling simultaneous normal light observation and fluorescence observation in infrared spectrum

An endoscope system, comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• a light source means for simultaneously irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum and irradiating visible light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum, said excitation light exciting a fluorescent substance administered to living tissue, wherein upon excitation, said fluorescent substance emits fluorescence in a second infrared spectrum with wavelengths longer than said wavelengths in said first infrared spectrum;
• a separating means for separating said fluorescence with wavelengths in said second infrared spectrum, from light stemming from said living tissue;
• a first imaging means for imaging said fluorescence with wavelengths in said second infrared spectrum separated by said separating means;
• and
• a second imaging means for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance, which emits fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum to be transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra, and which is apt to be accumulated in a lesion, to the inside of a living body;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum longer than the visible spectrum and shorter than the first infrared spectrum to the living tissue inside the living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light with wavelengths in the second infrared spectrum and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• a display means for displaying an image represented by the video signal;
• and
• a control means for controlling an output level of said first imaging means on the basis of an output signal of said second imaging means.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a control means for controlling an output level of said first imaging means on the basis of an output signal of said second imaging means, said control means includes a gain control means for controlling a gain to be provided by an amplifying means for amplifying an image signal produced by said first imaging means;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• an image normalizing means for extracting a reference image depicted by light with wavelengths of 600 nm or longer from an image formed by said second imaging means, and normalizing a fluorescence image formed by said first imaging means relative to the reference image;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal;
• a marker producing means for producing markers to be displayed at positions on said display means which are determined on the basis of the luminance levels of a fluorescence image formed by said first imaging means and associated with regions concerned;
• and
• an image superimposing means for superimposing the markers on a visible light image formed by said second imaging means.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal, wherein at least one color is assigned to said fluorescence image formed by said first imaging means, at least one color is assigned to a visible light image formed by said second imaging means, and wherein the images are displayed on said display means.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting florescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to said living tissue;
• an imaging device having a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off said excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance and having a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for forming a visible light image using light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a diaphragm means inserted to an optical path linking said living tissue and said imaging device, wherein said diaphragm means having a visible light transmission area of a first predetermined size for transmitting visible light and having a visible light non-transmission area of a second predetermined size that does not transmit visible light but transmits light with wavelengths in said first infrared spectrum said second predetermined size being larger than said first predetermined size;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said imaging device and for producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal wherein an image signal representing a fluorescence image formed by said first imaging means and an image signal representing a visible light image formed by said second imaging means are switched and then input to said signal processing means, and wherein said signal processing means controls the gain of an image signal synchronously with the switching of the inputted fluorescence image and visible light image;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance, which emits fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum to be transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra, and which is apt to be accumulated in a lesion, to the inside of a living body;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum longer than the visible spectrum and shorter than the first infrared spectrum to the living tissue inside the living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light with wavelengths in the second infrared spectrum and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated as an imaging device common to said first imaging means in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• a display means for displaying an image represented by the video signal;
• a switching means for switching excitation light and visible light and irradiating selected light to the living tissue;
• and
• a variable diaphragm means inserted to an optical path linking the living tissue and said imaging device, wherein an amount of light to be passed by said variable diaphragm means is controlled according to the switching.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance, which emits fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum to be transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra, and which is apt to be accumulated in a lesion, to the inside of a living body;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum longer than the visible spectrum and shorter than the first infrared spectrum to the living tissue inside the living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light with wavelengths in the second infrared spectrum and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated as an imaging device common to said first imaging means in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• a display means for displaying an image represented by the video signal;
• a switching means for switching excitation light and visible light and irradiating selected light to the living tissue;
• and
• an integrating means for integrating a current level of an image signal produced by said imaging device and a level thereof attained during an immediately preceding frame, wherein the integration is controlled according to the switching.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum, wherein said first imaging means and second imaging means share a common imaging device;
• a switching means for switching said excitation light and said visible light and irradiating selected light to the living tissue, wherein control is provided so that:
• when an image signal representing a fluorescence image is output from said imaging device according to switching by said switching means, said image signal is passed to a first filter circuit for smoothening;
• and when an image signal representing a visible light image is output from said imaging device, the image signal is passed to a second filter circuit for contour enhancement;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertional part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance to an inside of said living body, said fluorescent substance emitting fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum that is transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra and that is apt to be accumulated in a lesion;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to said living tissue inside said living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered, said excitation light having wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope,
• wherein said excitation light irradiating means and visible light irradiating means irradiate light output from a lamp, which glows in a spectrum including the first infrared spectrum and visible spectrum, as color sequential light to the living tissue, said excitation light irradiating means and said visible light irradiating means including:
• a first filter and second filter for transmitting light with wavelengths in two spectra within the visible spectrum, and a third filter for transmitting excitation light with wavelengths in one spectrum different from the two spectra within the visible spectrum and in the first infrared spectrum, said first, second and third filters being arranged successively on an optical path;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum, wherein said first imaging means and second imaging means share a common imaging device;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by said video signal.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance, which emits fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum to be transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra, and which is apt to be accumulated in a lesion, to the inside of a living body;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum longer than the visible spectrum and shorter than the first infrared spectrum to the living tissue inside the living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for cutting off excitation light with wavelengths in the second infrared spectrum and forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance;
• a second imaging means, incorporated as an imaging device common to said first imaging means in said endoscope, for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by the video signal, wherein the excitation light and visible light are irradiated simultaneously to the living tissue.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• a light source for irradiating illumination light containing excitation light with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum which causes a fluorescent substance administered to a living tissue to fluoresce;
• a first imaging means for producing a fluorescence image depicted by light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a second imaging means for forming a reflected light image using reflected excitation light stemming from the living tissue;
• and
• a display means for displaying the fluorescence image and reflected light image formed by said first and second imaging means while superimposing the fluorescence image on the reflected light image.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• a light source for irradiating illumination light containing excitation light with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum which causes a fluorescent substance administered to a living tissue to fluoresce;
• a first imaging means for producing a fluorescence image depicted by light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum different from the first infrared spectrum;
• a second imaging means for forming a reflected light image depicted by reflecting light of the illumination light stemming from the living tissue;
• and
• a display means for displaying the fluorescence image and reflected light image formed by said first and second imaging means while superimposing the fluorescence image on the reflected light image, wherein said second imaging means forms the reflected light image simultaneously with a fluorescence image formed by said first imaging means.

An endoscope system comprising:

• an endoscope having an elongated insertion part capable of being inserted into a living body;
• an administering means for use in administering a fluorescent substance, which emits fluorescence with wavelengths in a first infrared spectrum to be transmitted by a living tissue more efficiently than light with wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet spectra, and which is apt to be accumulated in a lesion, to the inside of a living body;
• an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light with wavelengths in a second infrared spectrum longer than the visible spectrum and shorter than the first infrared spectrum to the living tissue inside the living body to which the fluorescent substance has been administered;
• a visible light irradiating means for irradiating light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum to the living tissue through said endoscope;
• a first imaging means, incorporated in said endoscope, for forming a fluorescence image using fluorescence with wavelengths in the first infrared spectrum emanating from said fluorescent substance via a filter for cutting of the excitation light with wavelengths in the second spectrum;
• a second imaging means, incorporated as an imaging device common to said first imaging means for imaging light with wavelengths in the visible spectrum via said filter;
• a signal processing means for processing signals output from said first and second imaging means and producing a video signal;
• and
• a display means for displaying an image represented by the video signal.