An endoscopic imaging system

Abstract

An endoscopic imaging system includes a light source unit, an endoscope, a camera unit, and a display. The light source unit includes an excitation light source and a multi-bandpass filter. The excitation light source outputs at least a first wavelength of first excitation light and a second wavelength of second excitation light. The multi-bandpass filter filters the first and second excitation lights. The endoscope contains a multi-bandstop filter and an image sensor. The multi-bandstop filter filters out the first and second excitation lights from the light returning from the area to be observed. The image sensor obtains first and / or second fluorescence from the filtered light and generates a fluorescence signal based on the first and / or second fluorescence. The camera unit generates a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence signal. The display shows the fluorescence image. This endoscopic imaging system, with its multi-bandpass and multi-bandstop filters, can perform imaging based on different fluorescent dyes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more specifically to an endoscopic imaging system. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the development of endoscopic technology has greatly facilitated minimally invasive surgery and accelerated its popularization. Traditional white light reflection endoscopes can enter different human tissues, providing doctors with visual observation with minimal surgical trauma. However, due to limitations in technical indicators such as image resolution and contrast, traditional endoscopes cannot identify minute lesions that are invisible to the naked eye. The advent of fluorescence endoscopy technology has made lesion visualization and tumor labeling possible, while also enabling lymph node localization and vascular tracing.

[0003] Existing endoscopes that support fluorescence imaging can often only image white light and a single fluorescent dye. Even if they can image multiple fluorescent dyes, they still suffer from problems such as low fluorescence efficiency and crosstalk. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. The summary section of this invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] A first aspect of this invention provides an endoscopic imaging system, comprising a light source unit, an endoscope, a camera unit, and a display, wherein...

[0006] The light source host includes an excitation light source and a multi-bandpass filter device. The excitation light source is used to output a first excitation light of at least a first wavelength and a second excitation light of at least a second wavelength. The first excitation light is used to excite a first fluorescent dye, and the second excitation light is used to excite a second fluorescent dye. The multi-bandpass filter device is used to filter the first excitation light and the second excitation light. The multi-bandpass filter device has at least a first passband and a second passband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first passband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second passband.

[0007] The endoscope includes an insertion section and an operating section. The insertion section is used to insert into the patient's site of observation and transmits the first excitation light and / or the second excitation light output by the light source host to the site of observation. The endoscope is equipped with multiple band-blocking filters and an image sensor.

[0008] The multi-band blocking optical device is used to filter out the first excitation light and the second excitation light from the light returned from the observed region. The multi-band blocking optical device has at least a first stopband and a second stopband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first stopband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second stopband.

[0009] The image sensor is used to obtain the first fluorescence generated by the first fluorescent dye under the excitation of the first excitation light and / or the second fluorescence generated by the second fluorescent dye under the excitation of the second excitation light from the light filtered by the multi-band-block filter device, and to generate a fluorescence signal based on the first fluorescence and / or the second fluorescence.

[0010] The camera host is connected to the endoscope and is used to generate a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence signal;

[0011] The display is used to show the fluorescent image.

[0012] In one embodiment, the wavelength ranges of the first passband and the first stopband are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye is maximized; the wavelength ranges of the second passband and the second stopband are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye is maximized.

[0013] In one embodiment, the wavelength range of the first passband is λ1-Δ1 to λ1+Δ2, and the wavelength range of the second passband is λ2-Δ3 to λ2+Δ4, wherein Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 and Δ4 are the transition bands of the multi-bandpass filter device, λ1 is the center wavelength of the first excitation light, and λ2 is the center wavelength of the second excitation light.

[0014] The wavelength range of the first stopband is from λ1-Δ1-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6, and the wavelength range of the second stopband is from λ2-Δ3-Δ7 to λ2+Δ4+Δ8, wherein Δ5, Δ6, Δ7 and Δ8 are the transition bands of the band-stop filter device;

[0015] The setting of λ1 maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye; the setting of λ2 maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first fluorescent dye comprises methylene blue, and the second fluorescent dye comprises indocyanine green.

[0017] In one embodiment, the center wavelength of the first excitation light is 660 nm, and the center wavelength of the second excitation light is 780 nm.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first passband is 645nm-675nm and the second passband is 765nm-795nm.

[0019] In one embodiment, the first stopband is 633nm-687nm and the second stopband is 751nm-809nm.

[0020] In one embodiment, the excitation light source includes a first excitation light source and a second excitation light source, wherein the first excitation light source is used to output the first excitation light and the second excitation light source is used to output the second excitation light.

[0021] In one embodiment, the first excitation light and the second excitation light are near-infrared light or visible light.

[0022] In one embodiment, the excitation light source includes a light-emitting diode or a laser.

[0023] In one embodiment, the light source host further includes a white light source for outputting white light;

[0024] The endoscope is also used to transmit the white light to the area to be observed, receive the reflected light from the area to be observed, and generate a reflected light signal. The camera host is also used to generate a reflected light image based on the reflected light signal, and the display is also used to display the reflected light image.

[0025] The endoscopic imaging system according to embodiments of the present invention is provided with multiple bandpass filters and multiple bandstop filters, enabling fluorescence imaging based on different fluorescent dyes. The multiple bandpass filters can filter out noise signals in the excitation light, avoiding noise interference, while the multiple bandstop filters can filter out the excitation light entering the endoscope, preventing crosstalk between the excitation light and the emitted light. Furthermore, the multiple bandpass filters combine multiple passbands into a single filter, and the multiple bandstop filters combine multiple stopbands into a single filter, thereby reducing the size of the endoscopic imaging system. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] In the attached diagram:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of an endoscopic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a light source host according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 The excitation and emission spectra of a fluorescent dye according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0033] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0034] It should be understood that the invention can be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0035] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including,” when used in this specification, identify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. When used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0036] To fully understand this invention, a detailed structure will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution proposed by this invention. Optional embodiments of the invention are described in detail below; however, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the invention may have other embodiments.

[0037] Below, for reference Figures 1 to 4 An endoscopic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 This is a schematic structural block diagram of an endoscopic imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a light source host according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a laser light source according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 The excitation and emission spectra of methylene blue and indocyanine green are shown.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the endoscopic imaging system 100 includes a light source unit 110, an endoscope 120, a camera unit 130, and a display 140. Among them, as... Figure 2 As shown, the light source host 110 includes an excitation light source 111 and a multi-bandpass filter device 112. The excitation light source 111 is used to output a first excitation light of at least a first wavelength and a second excitation light of at least a second wavelength. The first excitation light is used to excite a first fluorescent dye, and the second excitation light is used to excite a second fluorescent dye. The multi-bandpass filter device 112 is used to filter the first excitation light and the second excitation light. The multi-bandpass filter device 112 has at least a first passband and a second passband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first passband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second passband.

[0039] The endoscope 120 includes an insertion section and an operating section. The insertion section is used to insert into the patient's site of observation and to transmit the first excitation light and / or the second excitation light output from the light source host to the site of observation. Figure 3 As shown, the endoscope 120 is equipped with an image sensor 121 and a multi-band filter 122. The multi-band filter 122 is used to filter out the first excitation light and the second excitation light from the light returning from the area to be observed. The multi-band filter 122 has at least a first stopband and a second stopband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first stopband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second stopband. The image sensor 121 is used to obtain the first fluorescence generated by the first fluorescent dye excited by the first excitation light and / or the second fluorescence generated by the second fluorescent dye excited by the second excitation light from the light filtered by the multi-band filter 122, and to generate a fluorescence signal based on the first fluorescence and / or the second fluorescence. The camera host 130 is connected to the endoscope 120 and is used to acquire the fluorescence signal from the endoscope 120 and generate a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence signal. The display 140 is used to display the fluorescence image generated by the camera host 130.

[0040] The endoscopic imaging system 100 of this embodiment of the invention is provided with a multi-bandpass filter 112 and a multi-bandstop filter 122, which can perform fluorescence imaging based on different fluorescent dyes. The multi-bandpass filter 112 can filter out noise signals in the excitation light to avoid noise interference, and the multi-bandstop filter 122 can filter out the excitation light entering the endoscope 120 to avoid crosstalk between the excitation light and the emission light of the fluorescent dye. In addition, the multi-bandpass filter 112 combines multiple passbands into the same filter, and the multi-bandstop filter 122 combines multiple stopbands into the same filter, which can reduce the size of the endoscopic imaging system 100.

[0041] Specifically, the excitation light source 111 can output the first excitation light and the second excitation light in a time-division or simultaneous manner. Figure 2 In the example, the excitation light source 111 includes a first excitation light source and a second excitation light source. The first excitation light source is used to output a first excitation light of a first wavelength, and the second excitation light source is used to output a second excitation light of a second wavelength. The first and second excitation light sources can be lasers (LDs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Lasers have the advantages of high output power and narrow spectrum; LEDs have low cost and power consumption, and stable beam quality. In some embodiments, the excitation light source 111 can also be a single light-emitting device capable of time-division or simultaneous output of the first and second excitation lights.

[0042] The first excitation light and the second excitation light output by the excitation light source 111 are used to excite the first fluorescent dye and the second fluorescent dye, respectively. The first fluorescent dye and the second fluorescent dye can be clinically commonly used fluorescent dyes. For example, the first fluorescent dye can be methylene blue (MB) and the second fluorescent dye can be indocyanine green (ICG). Figure 4 The excitation spectrum Ex and emission spectrum Em of methylene blue and indocyanine green are shown. Exemplarily, the excitation light source 111 can also output excitation light of more than two wavelengths; for example, the excitation light source 111 can also output a third excitation light of a third wavelength for exciting a third fluorescent dye.

[0043] A multi-bandpass filter 112 is disposed in front of the optical path of the excitation light source 111 to filter at least the first excitation light and the second excitation light, thereby filtering out noise generated by the excitation light source 111. The multi-bandpass filter 112 has at least a first passband and a second passband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first passband, meaning the first passband is used to transmit the first excitation light and filter out noise generated by the first excitation light source. The second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second passband, meaning the second passband is used to transmit the second excitation light and filter out noise generated by the second excitation light source. When there are two excitation light sources 111, the multi-bandpass filter 112 is a dual-bandpass filter, specifically a dual-bandpass filter. When there are three or more excitation light sources 111, the multi-bandpass filter 112 may also include other passbands. For example, when the excitation light source 111 is also used to output a third excitation light of a third wavelength, the multi-bandpass filter 112 may also include a third passband, with the third wavelength within the wavelength range of the third passband.

[0044] For example, the wavelength range of the first passband of the multi-bandpass filter 112 is λ1-Δ1 to λ1+Δ2, and the wavelength range of the second passband is λ2-Δ3 to λ2+Δ4, where λ1 and λ2 are the center wavelengths of the first and second excitation light, respectively, and Δ1, Δ2, Δ3, and Δ4 are the transition bands of the multi-bandpass filter. Δ1, Δ2, Δ3, and Δ4 are mainly determined by the coating process of the filter, and any two of Δ1, Δ2, Δ3, and Δ4 may be the same or different.

[0045] In addition to the excitation light source 111, the light source host 110 may also include a white light source 113, which is used to output broadband white light. The white light source 113 may include a white LED. In white light mode, the light source host 110 outputs white light alone; in fluorescence mode, the light source host 110 simultaneously outputs white light and excitation light (a first excitation light and / or a second excitation light). Exemplarily, the light source host 110 may also include a light combining device for combining the white light output from the white light source 113 and the excitation light output from the excitation light source 111 into a combined light, which is then output to the patient's observation site. Figure 2 As shown, the light combining device can be a semi-transparent and semi-reflective device that is tilted between the white light source 113 and the excitation light source 111. The wavelength of the excitation light is outside the transmission range of the filter device, and the optical path direction of the excitation light that illuminates the surface of the light combining device changes. The white light is a broadband light, and most of the white light is transmitted by the light combining device, so its optical path direction does not change. Therefore, the excitation light reflected by the light combining device and the transmitted white light become the same direction, thereby forming a composite beam.

[0046] In some embodiments, the light source host 110 further includes a beam expander disposed between the excitation light source 111 and the beam combiner. The beam expander is used to expand the excitation light output from the excitation light source and transmit the expanded laser beam to the beam combiner. The excitation light output from the excitation light source has a small beam diameter; the beam expander can enlarge the diameter of the excitation light beam to match the diameter of the white light beam, thereby improving the beam combining effect. Exemplarily, the beam expander may include a lens group, a diffuser, etc.

[0047] In some embodiments, the light source host 110 further includes a collimator disposed between the white light source 113 and the beam combining device. The collimator is used to collimate the white light output from the white light source 113 and transmit the collimated white light to the beam combining device. The white light beam output from the white light source 113 is relatively divergent. The collimator can convert the divergent light into parallel light to improve the beam combining effect. Exemplarily, the collimator may include a lens group, a light guide rod, etc.

[0048] The light output from the light source host 110 is transmitted by the endoscope 120 to the patient's site of observation. The endoscope 120 is also used to receive light reflected from the site of observation, including reflected light from the first excitation light and / or the second excitation light, as well as the first fluorescence generated by the first fluorescent dye excited by the first excitation light and / or the second fluorescence generated by the second fluorescent dye excited by the second excitation light. When the light source host 110 also outputs white light, the light received by the endoscope 120 also includes reflected white light.

[0049] The endoscope 120 includes a multi-band blocking filter 122 and at least one image sensor 121. The multi-band blocking filter 122 filters out a first excitation light and a second excitation light from the light returning from the area to be observed, preventing crosstalk between the excitation light and the emission light of the fluorescent dye. The multi-band blocking filter 122 has at least a first stopband and a second stopband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first stopband, i.e., the first stopband is used to filter out the first excitation light; the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second stopband, i.e., the second stopband is used to filter out the second excitation light.

[0050] For example, to ensure that all excitation light transmitted through the first passband can be filtered out, the wavelength range of the first stopband is larger than that of the first passband. When the wavelength range of the first passband is λ1-Δ2 to λ1+Δ3, the wavelength range of the first stopband is λ1-Δ2-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6. When the wavelength range of the second passband is λ2-Δ3 to λ2+Δ4, to ensure that all light transmitted through the second passband can be filtered out, the wavelength range of the second stopband is λ2-Δ3-Δ7 to λ2+Δ4+Δ8. Here, Δ5, Δ6, Δ7, and Δ8 are transition bands of the multi-band stop filter, mainly due to limitations in the coating process of the multi-band stop filter. Any two of Δ5, Δ6, Δ7, and Δ8 are the same or different; furthermore, any two of Δ1, Δ2, Δ3, Δ4, Δ5, Δ6, Δ7, and Δ8 are the same or different.

[0051] Image sensor 122 is used to obtain the first fluorescence generated by the first fluorescent dye excited by the first excitation light and / or the second fluorescence generated by the second fluorescent dye excited by the second excitation light from the light filtered by the multi-band-stop filter device 122, and to generate a fluorescence signal based on the first fluorescence and / or the second fluorescence. Exemplarily, endoscope 120 includes a first image sensor and a second image sensor, wherein the first image sensor is used to receive reflected light from white light and output a reflected light signal, and the second image sensor is used to receive fluorescence emitted by the fluorescent dye and output a fluorescence signal.

[0052] The other end of the endoscope 120 is connected to the camera host 130 via a cable, transmitting electrical signals to the camera host 130 for processing. In some embodiments, the endoscope 120 can also transmit electrical signals to the camera host 130 wirelessly. In fluorescence imaging mode, if the light source host 110 only outputs the first excitation light, the endoscope 120 receives the first fluorescence generated by the excitation of the first fluorescent dye and outputs the first fluorescence signal, and the camera host 130 generates a first fluorescence image based on the first fluorescence signal; if the light source host 110 only outputs the second excitation light, the endoscope 120 receives the second fluorescence generated by the excitation of the second fluorescent dye and outputs the second fluorescence signal, and the camera host 130 generates a second fluorescence image based on the second fluorescence signal; if the light source host 110 outputs both the first and second excitation lights simultaneously, the endoscope 120 outputs the first and second fluorescence signals, and the camera host 130 generates the first and second fluorescence images. In addition, in fluorescence imaging mode, the light source host 110 can also output white light as background light, the endoscope outputs a reflected light signal based on the reflected light from the white light, and the camera host 130 generates a reflected light image based on the reflected light signal. In white light imaging mode, the light source host 110 only outputs white light, and the camera host 130 generates a reflected light image based on the reflected light signal output by the endoscope.

[0053] The display 140 is connected to the camera host 130 and is used to display the fluorescence image and / or reflected light image generated by the camera host 130. Specifically, the camera host 130 is connected to the display 140 via a video cable to send the fluorescence image and / or reflected light image to the display 140 for display. In fluorescence imaging mode, when the camera host simultaneously generates a first fluorescence image and a second fluorescence image, the display 140 can overlay or fuse the first and second fluorescence images, with different fluorescence images distinguished by different colors; alternatively, the display 140 can display at least two fluorescence images separately. The display 140 can overlay the first fluorescence image and / or the second fluorescence image onto the reflected light image for display, or it can display the first fluorescence image and / or the second fluorescence image separately.

[0054] In this embodiment of the invention, by setting up multiple bandpass filters 112 and multiple bandstop filters 122, the endoscopic imaging system 100 can perform fluorescence imaging on multiple different fluorescent dyes in a time-division or simultaneous manner, reducing the size and complexity of the device structure of the endoscopic imaging system 100. Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention optimizes the spectral range of the multiple bandpass filters 112 and the multiple bandstop filters 122, as well as the wavelength of the excitation light emitted by the excitation light source, to ensure optimal excitation and emission efficiency for each fluorescent dye without affecting white light imaging performance. Conventional endoscopic imaging systems typically only consider optimizing excitation or emission efficiency, while the endoscopic imaging system of this embodiment optimizes both excitation and emission efficiency of the fluorescent dyes by designing the spectral range of the multiple bandpass filters 112 and the wavelength of the excitation light.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the wavelength ranges of the first wavelength and the first passband of the multi-bandpass filter 112 and the first stopband of the multi-bandstop filter 122 are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye is maximized; the wavelength ranges of the second wavelength and the second passband and the second stopband are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye is maximized, that is, the total fluorescence efficiency is optimized.

[0056] As described above, the wavelength range of the first passband of the multi-bandpass filter 112 is from λ1-Δ1 to λ1+Δ2, and the wavelength range of the first stopband of the multi-bandstop filter 122 is from λ1-Δ1-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6. Δ1, Δ2, Δ5, and Δ6 are limited by the coating process of the multi-bandpass filter 112 and the multi-bandstop filter 122. Therefore, λ1 can be set to maximize the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye; similarly, λ2 can be set to maximize the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye. For example, after determining λ1 and λ2, a suitable laser can be used by the light source host 110 to emit excitation light of the desired wavelength, and the desired passband or stopband can be obtained by adjusting the coating parameters of the multi-bandpass filter 112 and the multi-bandstop filter 122.

[0057] like Figure 4 The diagram shows the excitation and emission spectra of the first fluorescent dye (methylene blue) and the second fluorescent dye (indocyanine green). For the first fluorescent dye, when the first excitation light is a narrowband light with a center wavelength of λ1, the excitation energy of the first excitation light is approximately equal to Ex1(λ1). The first fluorescence is the light filtered by the multi-band-stop filter 122 after removing the wavelengths from λ1-Δ1-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6, and the emission wavelength is greater than the excitation wavelength. Therefore, the emission energy of the first fluorescence is ∫[λ1+Δ2+Δ6, +∞]Em1(λ)dλ. By solving Argmax(Ex1(λ1)*∫[λ1+Δ2+Δ6, +∞]Em1(λ)dλ), the first wavelength λ1 that maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye can be obtained.

[0058] Similarly, for the second fluorescent dye, when the second excitation light is a narrowband light with a center wavelength of λ2, its excitation energy is approximately Ex1(λ2); the second fluorescence is light filtered out from the λ2-Δ3-Δ7 to λ2+Δ4+Δ8 bands by a multi-band-stop filter, therefore the emission energy of the second fluorescence is ∫[λ2+Δ4+Δ8,+∞]Em1(λ)dλ. By solving Argmax(Ex1(λ2)*∫[λ2+Δ4+Δ8,+∞]Em1(λ)dλ), the second wavelength λ2 that maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye can be obtained.

[0059] Through the above methods, the center wavelengths λ1 and λ2 of the first and second excitation lights are finally obtained, as well as the spectral range of a dual-bandpass filter with a first passband of λ1-Δ1 to λ1+Δ2 and a second passband of λ2-Δ3 to λ2+Δ4, and the spectral range of a dual-bandstop filter with a first stopband of λ1-Δ1-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6 and a second stopband of λ2-Δ3-Δ7 to λ2+Δ4+Δ8. For example, when the first fluorescent dye is methylene blue and the second fluorescent dye is indocyanine green, the center wavelengths of the first and second excitation lights are 660 nm and 780 nm, respectively; the wavelength range of the first passband is 645 nm-675 nm; the wavelength range of the second passband is 765 nm-795 nm; the wavelength range of the first stopband is 633 nm-687 nm; and the wavelength range of the second stopband is 751 nm-809 nm. The above wavelength range allows for optimal fluorescence efficiency of methylene blue and indocyanine green.

[0060] In summary, the endoscopic imaging system of this invention is equipped with multiple bandpass filters and multiple bandstop filters, enabling fluorescence imaging based on different fluorescent dyes. The multiple bandpass filters can filter out noise signals in the excitation light, avoiding noise interference, while the multiple bandstop filters can filter out the excitation light entering the endoscope, preventing crosstalk between the excitation light and the emitted light. Furthermore, the multiple bandpass filters combine multiple passbands into a single filter, and the multiple bandstop filters combine multiple stopbands into a single filter, thereby reducing the size of the endoscopic imaging system.

[0061] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0062] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0063] In the several embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0064] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0065] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline the invention and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, its inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with fewer features than all of those in a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0067] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0068] The various component embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, or as software modules running on one or more processors, or a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs) can be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules according to embodiments of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented as an apparatus program (e.g., a computer program and computer program product) for performing some or all of the methods described herein. Such programs implementing the present invention can be stored on a computer-readable medium, or can be in the form of one or more signals. Such signals can be downloaded from an Internet website, provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0069] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not restrictive, and that those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

[0070] The above are merely specific embodiments or descriptions of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An endoscopic imaging system, characterized in that, It includes a light source unit, an endoscope, a camera unit, and a monitor, among which, The light source host includes an excitation light source and a multi-bandpass filter device. The excitation light source is used to output a first excitation light of at least a first wavelength and a second excitation light of at least a second wavelength. The first excitation light is used to excite a first fluorescent dye, and the second excitation light is used to excite a second fluorescent dye. The multi-bandpass filter device is used to filter the first excitation light and the second excitation light. The multi-bandpass filter device has at least a first passband and a second passband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first passband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second passband. The endoscope includes an insertion section and an operating section. The insertion section is used to insert into the patient's site of observation and transmits the first excitation light and / or the second excitation light output by the light source host to the site of observation. The endoscope is equipped with multiple band-blocking filters and an image sensor. The multi-band blocking optical device is used to filter out the first excitation light and the second excitation light from the light returned from the observed region. The multi-band blocking optical device has at least a first stopband and a second stopband. The first wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the first stopband, and the second wavelength is at least partially within the wavelength range of the second stopband. The image sensor is used to obtain the first fluorescence generated by the first fluorescent dye under the excitation of the first excitation light and / or the second fluorescence generated by the second fluorescent dye under the excitation of the second excitation light from the light filtered by the multi-band-block filter device, and to generate a fluorescence signal based on the first fluorescence and / or the second fluorescence. The camera host is connected to the endoscope and is used to generate a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence signal; The display is used to show the fluorescent image.

2. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wavelength ranges of the first passband and the first stopband are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye is maximized; the wavelength ranges of the second passband and the second stopband are set such that the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye is maximized.

3. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wavelength range of the first passband is from λ1-Δ1 to λ1+Δ2, and the wavelength range of the second passband is from λ2-Δ3 to λ2+Δ4, wherein Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 and Δ4 are the transition bands of the multi-bandpass filter device, λ1 is the center wavelength of the first excitation light, and λ2 is the center wavelength of the second excitation light. The wavelength range of the first stopband is from λ1-Δ1-Δ5 to λ1+Δ2+Δ6, and the wavelength range of the second stopband is from λ2-Δ3-Δ7 to λ2+Δ4+Δ8, wherein Δ5, Δ6, Δ7 and Δ8 are the transition bands of the band-stop filter device; The setting of λ1 maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the first excitation light and the emission energy of the first fluorescent dye; the setting of λ2 maximizes the product of the excitation energy of the second excitation light and the emission energy of the second fluorescent dye.

4. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first fluorescent dye includes methylene blue, and the second fluorescent dye includes indocyanine green.

5. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The center wavelength of the first excitation light is 660 nm, and the center wavelength of the second excitation light is 780 nm.

6. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first passband is 645nm-675nm, and the second passband is 765nm-795nm.

7. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first stopband is 633nm-687nm, and the second stopband is 751nm-809nm.

8. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The excitation light source includes a first excitation light source and a second excitation light source. The first excitation light source is used to output the first excitation light, and the second excitation light source is used to output the second excitation light.

9. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first excitation light and the second excitation light are near-infrared light or visible light.

10. The endoscopic imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light source host also includes a white light source, which is used to output white light; The endoscope is also used to transmit the white light to the area to be observed, receive the reflected light from the area to be observed, and generate a reflected light signal. The camera host is also used to generate a reflected light image based on the reflected light signal, and the display is also used to display the reflected light image.

Images