Endoscope system, processor device thereof, and image processing method

A processing circuitry of an endoscope system, said endoscope system including an endoscope device for imaging an object and obtaining a first image information under irradiation with a first illumination light having a first wavelength band in which oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin have different absorption coefficients, wherein said endoscope device further images said object and obtains a second image information under irradiation with a second illumination light having a second wavelength band and a third image information under irradiation with a third illumination light having a third wavelength band, said processing circuitry comprising:

• a receiver that receives said first image information under irradiation with said first illumination light, said second image information under irradiation with said second illumination light and said third image information under irradiation with said third illumination light;
• a memory that stores a correlation among an oxygen saturation level of blood, a first intensity ratio being an intensity ratio of each pixel between a first image information pair chosen out of said first to third image information, and a second intensity ratio being an intensity ratio of each pixel between a second image information pair different from said first image information pair, wherein said correlation is represented in the form of a two dimensional table in which contour lines representing the oxygen saturation level of blood are defined in two-dimensional space and a position and a shape of the contour lines are determined by physical simulation of light scattering, the processor configured for:
• obtaining spectrum change information relating to change in a spectrum of said first illumination light;
• and
• changing said correlation based on said spectrum change information,
• calculating said oxygen saturation level by using said first, second, and third image information and said changed correlation,
• wherein a cumulative lighting time of said lighting section is used as said spectrum change information, and
• wherein said memory is configured to store first and second correlations, wherein the first correlation is used when the cumulative lighting time is less than a predetermined value and the difference in the absorption coefficient between oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin is within a predetermined range and the second correlation is used when the cumulative lighting time equals or exceeds the predetermined value and the difference in the absorption coefficient between oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin is out of the predetermined range.

An image processing method for processing an image obtained by an endoscope device, said endoscope device obtaining a first image information by imaging an object under irradiation with a first illumination light having a first wavelength band in which oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin have different absorption coefficients, wherein said endoscope device further images said object and obtains a second image information under irradiation with a second illumination light having a second wavelength band and a third image information under irradiation with a third illumination light having a third wavelength band, said image processing method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said first image information under irradiation with said first illumination light, said second image information under irradiation with said second illumination light, and said third image information under irradiation with said third illumination light;
• storing a correlation among an oxygen saturation level of blood, a first intensity ratio being an intensity ratio of each pixel between a first image information pair chosen out of said first to third image information, and a second intensity ratio being an intensity ratio of each pixel between a second image information pair different from said first image information pair, wherein said correlation is represented in the form of a two dimensional table in which contour lines representing the oxygen saturation level of blood are defined in two-dimensional space and a position and a shape of the contour lines are determined by physical simulation of light scattering;
• obtaining spectrum change information relating to change in a spectrum of said first illumination light;
• changing said correlation based on said obtained spectrum change information;
• calculating said oxygen saturation level by using said first, second, and third image information and said changed correlation;
• using a cumulative lighting time of said lighting section as said spectrum change information;
• and
• wherein said storing step is configured to store first and second correlations, wherein the first correlation is used when the cumulative lighting time is less than a predetermined value and the difference in the absorption coefficient between oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin is within a predetermined range and the second correlation is used when the cumulative lighting time equals or exceeds the predetermined value and the difference in the absorption coefficient between oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin is out of the predetermined range.