Method and apparatus for displaying fluorescence images

A method of displaying a fluorescence image, comprising the steps of:

• i) irradiating excitation light and reference light to living body tissues, the excitation light causing the living body tissues to produce intrinsic fluorescence,
• ii) detecting the intrinsic fluorescence, which has been produced from the living body tissues when the excitation light is irradiated to the living body tissues, and reflected reference light, which has been reflected from the living body tissues when the reference light is irradiated to the living body tissues, respectively as an intrinsic fluorescence image signal and a reference light image signal,
• iii) forming display signals from the intrinsic fluorescence image signal and the reference light image signal, and
• iv) displaying information concerning the living body tissues by utilizing the formed display signals,
• wherein the display signals are formed such that an intensity of the reflected reference light is primarily indicated as a luminance component signal, and a pattern of a fluorescence spectrum of the intrinsic fluorescence is primarily indicated as a color component signal.

An apparatus for displaying a fluorescence image, comprising:

• i) irradiation means for irradiating excitation light and reference light to living body tissues, the excitation light causing the living body tissues to produce intrinsic fluorescence,
• ii) detection means for detecting the intrinsic fluorescence, which has been produced from the living body tissues when the excitation light is irradiated to the living body tissues, and reflected reference light, which has been reflected from the living body tissues when the reference light is irradiated to the living body tissues, respectively as an intrinsic fluorescence image signal and a reference light image signal,
• iii) display signal forming means for forming display signals from the intrinsic fluorescence image signal and the reference light image signal, and
• iv) displaying means for displaying information concerning the living body tissues by utilizing the formed display signals,
• wherein the display signal:
• forming means forms the display signals such that an intensity of the reflected reference light is primarily indicated as a luminance component signal, and a relative intensity of the intrinsic fluorescence is primarily indicated as a color component signal.