Endoscope System

Abstract

To reduce a diameter of an insertion unit of an endoscope system.SOLUTION: An endoscope system 1 comprises: an insertion unit 10 having a base end 10b and a tip 10a, where at least the tip 10a is to be inserted into an analyte; a light source unit 20 for emitting first light L1 and second light L2; a light sensor unit 30 comprising sensitivity to a wavelength of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2; and a control unit 40. The insertion unit 10 includes: a first optical fiber 11 that guides the first light L1 and the second light L2 from the base end 10b to the tip 10a and emits them as illumination light L; and a second optical fiber 12 that guides reflection light Lr of the illumination light L from the tip 10a to the base end 10b. The light sensor unit 30 receives the reflection light Lr guided through the second optical fiber 12. The control unit 40 controls the light source unit 20 on the basis of intensity of the reflection light Lr received by the light sensor unit 30 to stop emission of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an endoscope system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an endoscope system having an insertion section that is inserted into a subject to observe the inside of the subject has been known. For example, in the endoscope system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a laser probe that guides laser light, an illumination section, and an imaging section are included in the insertion section. The imaging section receives reflected light from the illumination section inside the subject of light irradiated from the illumination section, and reflected light from the subject of light irradiated from the tip of the laser probe, thereby enabling observation of the inside of the subject. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5792415 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an endoscope system, there is a demand for a thinner insertion section to reduce the burden on the subject.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope system capable of reducing the diameter of an insertion portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An endoscopic system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an insertion section having a base end and a tip end, at least the tip end being inserted into a subject; a light source section emitting a first light and a second light having a hue different from that of the first light; an optical sensor section sensitive to the wavelength of at least one of the first light and the second light; and a control section controlling the light source section based on a detection result by the optical sensor section, wherein the insertion section includes a first light guiding member that guides the first light and the second light emitted from the light source section from the base end to the tip end and emits them as illumination light from the tip end, and a second light guiding member that guides reflected light of the illumination light emitted from the tip end from the tip end to the base end, wherein the optical sensor section receives the reflected light guided through the second light guiding member, and the control section controls the light source section to stop emission of at least one of the first light and the second light based on the intensity of the reflected light received by the optical sensor section. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the endoscope system of the present invention, the diameter of the insertion section can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system according to an embodiment and a light path when an insertion portion is inserted into a subject. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system according to an embodiment and a light path when an insertion portion is not inserted into a subject. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the endoscope system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a configuration of an optical sensor unit according to Modification 1. FIG. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a configuration of an optical sensor unit according to Modification 2. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an endoscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection forms of the components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims will be described as optional components.

[0010] In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily illustrated precisely. Therefore, for example, the scales in each figure do not necessarily match. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0011] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating relationships between elements, such as parallelism, terms indicating the shapes of elements, and numerical ranges are not expressions that only express a strict meaning, but are expressions that also include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about a few percent.

[0012] In addition, in this specification, a "peak wavelength" is a wavelength at which the emission intensity is maximum within a specified wavelength band. Furthermore, the intensity at the peak wavelength is referred to as "peak intensity." The peak intensity does not have to be the maximum intensity in the entire wavelength band. In other words, a peak having an intensity higher than the peak intensity within a specified wavelength band may exist in a band other than the specified wavelength band.

[0013] In addition, in this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" do not refer to the number or order of components, unless otherwise specified, but are used for the purpose of avoiding confusion between and distinguishing between components of the same type.

[0014] (Embodiment) [composition] First, the configuration of an endoscope system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment. The endoscope system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is used for observing the inside of a subject. The subject is, for example, a living body such as a human body or an animal body. The endoscope system 1 is used for at least one of normal observation and special observation.

[0016] Regular observation uses white light to obtain visible light images of the inside of the body. Special observation, for example, uses narrowband light called NBI (Narrow Band Imaging). NBI uses two narrowband lights with different wavelengths to obtain images that highlight specific objects such as blood vessels.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope system 1 includes an insertion section 10, a light source section 20, an optical sensor section 30, and a control section 40.

[0018] The insertion section 10 has a tip section 10a and a base section 10b, and at least the tip section 10a is a section that is inserted into the subject. The base section 10b is connected to a light source section 20 and an optical sensor section 30. The light source section 20 and the optical sensor section 30 are not inserted into the body.

[0019] The light source unit 20 emits a first light L1 and a second light L2. The second light L2 is a light having a different hue from the first light L1. Specifically, the peak wavelength of the second light L2 is different from the peak wavelength of the first light L1. The first light L1 is, for example, green light, and the second light L2 is purple light.

[0020] Both the green light and the violet light are in a wavelength band that is absorbed by hemoglobin contained in blood vessels. Therefore, when the first light L1 (green light) and the second light L2 (violet light) are irradiated into the subject, each light is absorbed by the capillaries on the mucous membrane surface and the thick blood vessels deep inside. By processing the electrical signals according to the respective intensities of the green light and the violet light, an image in which the blood vessels are emphasized can be obtained.

[0021] The optical sensor unit 30 has sensitivity to at least one of the wavelengths of the first light L1 and the second light L2. In this embodiment, the optical sensor unit 30 includes a sensor 31. The sensor 31 receives reflected light Lr of the illumination light L emitted from the tip 10a of the insertion section 10, and generates and outputs an electrical signal according to the intensity of the received light. The sensor 31 is a photoelectric conversion element such as a photodiode or a phototransistor.

[0022] The control unit 40 controls the light source unit 20. Specifically, the control unit 40 stops the emission of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2 by controlling the light source unit 20 based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr received by the optical sensor unit 30. The specific operation of the control unit 40 will be described later.

[0023] The control unit 40 is realized, for example, by an LSI (Large Scale Integration) which is an integrated circuit (IC). The integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. For example, the control unit 40 may be a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes, for example, a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, a volatile memory which is a temporary storage area for executing the program, an input / output port, and a processor for executing the program. The control unit 40 may be a programmable Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or a reconfigurable processor in which the connection and setting of the circuit cells in the LSI can be reconfigured. The functions executed by the control unit 40 may be realized by software or hardware.

[0024] Hereinafter, a specific configuration of each component of the endoscope system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. First, a specific configuration of the insertion section 10 will be described.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the insertion section 10 includes a first optical fiber 11, a second optical fiber 12, and an objective lens 13. The insertion section 10 has a cylindrical member (not shown) that houses and holds the first optical fiber 11 and the second optical fiber 12 therein. The cylindrical member includes a first channel for inserting the first optical fiber 11 and a second channel for inserting the second optical fiber 12. The first channel and the second channel are through holes that pass through the cylindrical member in the axial direction and are separated from each other. For example, the cylindrical member is formed using a light-shielding material. This makes it possible to suppress optical interference due to light leakage between the two optical fibers.

[0026] The first optical fiber 11 is an example of a first light guiding member, and guides the first light L1 and the second light L2 emitted from the light source unit 20 from the base end 10b to the tip end 10a, and emits the light from the tip end 10a as illumination light L. Since an objective lens 13 is disposed at the end of the first optical fiber 11 on the tip end 10a side, the illumination light L is emitted via the objective lens 13.

[0027] The insertion section 10 may include an optical fiber that guides the first light L1 and an optical fiber that guides the second light L2, instead of the first optical fiber 11. In this case, the insertion section 10 may include channels through which the two optical fibers are individually inserted.

[0028] The second optical fiber 12 is an example of a second light guiding member, and guides reflected light Lr of illumination light L emitted from the distal end 10a from the distal end 10a to the proximal end 10b. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a condenser lens may be provided at the end of the second optical fiber 12 on the distal end 10a side. The condenser lens condenses light from outside the insertion section 10 onto the end of the second optical fiber 12.

[0029] Next, a specific configuration of the light source unit 20 will be described.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the light source section 20 includes a first light source 21, a second light source 22, a wavelength conversion section 23, and a filter 24.

[0031] The first light source 21 emits the third light L3. The third light L3 is light having a wavelength different from that of the first light L1 and the second light L2. The first light source 21 is a laser light source. In the present embodiment, the third light L3 is blue light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 430 nm or more and 495 nm or less. The third light L3 is narrowband light. Specifically, the half width of the third light L3 is 20 nm or less, but may be 10 nm or less, or may be 5 nm or less. For example, the first light source 21 is a blue laser light source having a peak wavelength of 455 nm.

[0032] The second light source 22 emits the second light L2. The second light source 22 is a laser light source. In this embodiment, the second light L2 has a shorter wavelength than the peak wavelength of the third light L3. Specifically, the second light L2 is a violet light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 380 nm or more and less than 430 nm. The second light L2 is a narrowband light. Specifically, the half width of the second light L2 is 20 nm or less, but may be 10 nm or less, or may be 5 nm or less. For example, the second light source 22 is a violet laser light source having a peak wavelength of 415 nm.

[0033] In this embodiment, the first light source 21 and the second light source 22 are arranged side by side so that their optical axes are parallel to each other. The optical axis of the light source is the center of the light emitted from the light source and coincides with the light emission direction. For example, the first light source 21 and the second light source 22 are provided on the same substrate.

[0034] The wavelength conversion section 23 includes a plurality of phosphors. For example, each of the plurality of phosphors is a particulate substance. For example, the wavelength conversion section 23 has a plate-shaped resin base material (not shown), and a plurality of phosphors are dispersed in the resin base material. Alternatively, the wavelength conversion section 23 may have a transparent plate material, and a plurality of phosphors may be dispersed in a transparent resin applied to the surface of the plate material. Moreover, the wavelength conversion section 23 may be an aggregate (for example, a ceramic sintered body) in which a plurality of phosphors are aggregated.

[0035] Each of the phosphors absorbs a part of the third light L3 and emits a fourth light L4 having a different hue from the third light L3. That is, the third light L3 functions as an excitation light for the phosphors. In this embodiment, the peak wavelength of the fourth light L4 is longer than the peak wavelength of the third light L3. Specifically, the fourth light L4 is yellow light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 525 nm or more and 600 nm or less. The fourth light L4 has an intensity equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio of the peak intensity over a wavelength band of 500 nm or more and 600 nm or less. The predetermined ratio is, for example, 5%, but may be 10% or 20%. That is, the fourth light L4 is a broad light having a larger half width than the third light L3. For example, the phosphor is Y3Al5O 12 :Ce 3+ Phosphor (YAG:Ce 3+ The phosphor is YAG:Ce 3+ Any phosphor with a fluorescence spectrum equivalent to that of YAG:Ce 3+ Alternatively, YAG:Ce 3+ In addition, other yellow phosphors may be used.

[0036] The wavelength conversion unit 23 is disposed on the optical path of the third light L3. When the third light L3 is incident on the wavelength conversion unit 23, the wavelength conversion unit 23 outputs a composite light of another part of the third light L3 (i.e., the light not absorbed by the phosphor) and the fourth light L4. At least a part of the composite light is the first light L1.

[0037] The filter 24 is a filter that transmits light of a specific wavelength contained in the combined light output from the wavelength conversion unit 23. In the present embodiment, the light that has passed through the filter 24 is the first light L1.

[0038] The filter 24 is a bandpass filter having a passband in a wavelength band of 505 nm or more and less than 525 nm. The width of the passband is less than 20 nm, but may be 10 nm or less, or may be 5 nm or less. For example, the first light L1 that passes through the filter 24 is green light with a peak wavelength of 515 nm.

[0039] Next, a specific configuration of the optical sensor unit 30 will be described.

[0040] As described above, the optical sensor unit 30 includes the sensor 31. The sensor 31 is sensitive to at least one of the wavelengths of the first light L1 and the second light L2. For example, the sensor 31 is sensitive to each of the first light L1 and the second light L2. As an example, the sensor 31 is sensitive to the visible light band (a range of 380 nm or more and 780 nm or less). The sensor 31 photoelectrically converts the reflected light Lr to generate an electrical signal representing the intensity of the reflected light Lr. The generated electrical signal is output to the control unit 40.

[0041] In this embodiment, the optical sensor unit 30 is a dedicated optical sensor unit used for determining the stop of the light source unit 20. The endoscope system 1 is additionally provided with a sensor for obtaining an image inside the subject.

[0042] For example, although not shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope system 1 further includes an image sensor that generates an observation image of the inside of the subject. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and each pixel includes, for example, sub-pixels corresponding to each of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), but is not limited thereto. For example, the image sensor is disposed near the tip 10a of the insertion section 10, but is not limited thereto. The image sensor, like the light source section 20, the light sensor section 30, and the control section 40, may be provided in a portion other than the insertion section 10, that is, in a portion that is not inserted into the subject.

[0043] [Operation] Next, the operation of the endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0044] Since the illumination light L contains short-wavelength violet light, it is not preferable for it to be directly incident on the human eye for a long period of time. When the tip 10a of the insertion section 10 is inserted into the subject, the illumination light L does not substantially leak out and does not enter the human eye. On the other hand, when the tip 10a of the insertion section 10 is removed from the subject, there is a possibility that the illumination light L may enter the human eye. For this reason, it is expected that the emission of the illumination light L will be stopped promptly.

[0045] In the endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 40 controls the light source unit 20 based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr of the illumination light L. Specifically, the control unit 40 utilizes the difference in intensity of the reflected light Lr between the inside and the outside of the subject, and stops emitting the illumination light L when the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is removed to the outside.

[0046] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the endoscope system 1 according to this embodiment and the path of light when the insertion portion 10 is not inserted into the subject. As can be seen by comparing Fig. 1 with Fig. 2, when the tip portion 10a of the insertion portion 10 is located outside the subject (Fig. 2), the intensity of the reflected light Lr is stronger than when it is located inside the subject (Fig. 1). This is for the following reason.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, when the tip 10a of the insertion section 10 is located inside the subject, both the first light L1 (green light) and the second light L2 (violet light) are absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood. Therefore, the intensity of the reflected light Lr is weakened. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the tip 10a of the insertion section 10 is located outside the subject, the first light L1 (green light) and the second light L2 (violet light) are not absorbed by hemoglobin. Therefore, the intensity of the reflected light Lr is strengthened. In each figure, the thickness of the white arrows is used to diagrammatically indicate the difference in intensity.

[0048] From the above, when the intensity of the reflected light Lr is weak, it can be assumed that the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located inside the subject. When the intensity of the reflected light Lr is strong, it can be assumed that the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located outside the subject. Therefore, the control unit 40 can determine whether the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located inside or outside the subject based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr, and can stop the emission of light from the light source unit 20 when the tip 10a is located outside the subject.

[0049] Specifically, the control unit 40 compares the intensity of the reflected light Lr at a predetermined wavelength relative to a reference value with the threshold value. The reference value is the intensity of the reflected light Lr at a predetermined wavelength when the tip portion 10a is located inside the subject as shown in FIG. 1. The predetermined wavelength is, for example, the peak wavelength of the second light L2. In other words, the reference value is the intensity of the reflected light of the purple light (second light L2) absorbed by hemoglobin. The reference value can be determined based on the electrical signal output from the sensor 31 when the tip portion 10a is located inside the subject. The threshold value is set to a value that can distinguish between when the tip portion 10a is located inside the subject and when it is not located inside the subject.

[0050] When the relative value is higher than the threshold value, the control unit 40 stops the emission of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2. For example, the control unit 40 stops the emission of both the first light L1 and the second light L2. This makes it possible to suppress the emission of strong light when the tip portion 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located outside the subject.

[0051] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0052] 3, first, the control unit 40 starts light emission of the light source unit 20 (S10). For example, when the control unit 40 acquires an operation input from a user instructing the start of light emission, the control unit 40 starts light emission of the light source unit 20. For example, the endoscope system 1 has an operation button (not shown) or the like.

[0053] As a result, a first light L1 and a second light L2 are emitted from the light source unit 20. The emitted first light L1 and second light L2 are guided through the first optical fiber 11 and emitted from the tip portion 10a as illumination light L. The illumination light L emitted from the tip portion 10a is reflected inside or outside the subject, and the reflected light Lr is guided through the second optical fiber 12 from the tip portion 10a to the base portion 10b. The reflected light Lr emitted from the base portion 10b is received by the optical sensor unit 30, and an electrical signal according to the intensity of the reflected light Lr is generated.

[0054] Next, the control unit 40 acquires the intensity of the reflected light Lr (S12). Specifically, the control unit 40 acquires the intensity of a predetermined wavelength of the reflected light Lr based on the electrical signal generated by the optical sensor unit 30. For example, the control unit 40 acquires the intensity of purple light contained in the reflected light Lr.

[0055] Next, the control unit 40 calculates a relative value of the acquired intensity with respect to a reference value (S14), and compares the calculated relative value with a threshold value (S16). The reference value and the threshold value are determined in advance, and are stored in a memory or the like provided in the control unit 40.

[0056] If the relative value is equal to or less than the threshold value (No in S16), the control unit 40 continues emitting light from the light source unit 20 (S18). If the relative value is equal to or less than the threshold value, this corresponds to the case where the purple light has been absorbed by hemoglobin contained in the blood of the subject, that is, the tip portion 10a of the insertion unit 10 is inserted into the subject. Therefore, even if the light emission continues, the light will not enter the human eye.

[0057] If the relative value is greater than the threshold (Yes in S16), the control unit 40 stops the light emission of the light source unit 20 (S20). If the relative value is greater than the threshold, this corresponds to the case where the purple light is not absorbed by hemoglobin contained in the subject's blood, that is, the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is not inserted into the subject and is located outside the subject. Therefore, by stopping the light emission, it is possible to prevent strong light from being irradiated onto the human eye.

[0058] In this way, according to the endoscopic system 1 of this embodiment, if the operator mistakenly causes the light source unit 20 to emit light when the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located outside the subject, or if the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10, which had been inserted into the subject, is removed from the subject before the emission of light by the light source unit 20 is stopped, the emission of light can be stopped quickly.

[0059] In this embodiment, the optical sensor unit 30 receives light of the same wavelength as the light emitted by the light source unit 20, so the control unit 40 can accurately determine whether the tip 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located inside or outside the subject while suppressing the influence of disturbances. Therefore, the control unit 40 can accurately determine whether to stop the light emission of the light source unit 20.

[0060] Here, an example of using the intensity of the purple light (second light L2) has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the purple light, the intensity of the green light (first light L1) may be used. Alternatively, the intensity of the composite light of the purple light and the green light may be used.

[0061] [Variations] The configuration of the optical sensor unit 30 is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 1. For example, the optical sensor unit 30 may include a plurality of sensors having different wavelength bands to which they are sensitive.

[0062] 4A is a diagram showing a configuration of an optical sensor unit 30A according to a first modification of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4A, the optical sensor unit 30A includes a first sensor 31g and a second sensor 31v. The first sensor 31g and the second sensor 31v are both sensitive to narrow wavelength bands that do not overlap with each other.

[0063] The first sensor 31g is a sensor that is sensitive to the peak wavelength of the first light L1. Specifically, the first sensor 31g is sensitive to green light and is not sensitive to other light. For example, the first sensor 31g is sensitive to a wavelength band of 505 nm or more and less than 525 nm, and is not sensitive to other wavelength bands.

[0064] This allows the first sensor 31g to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the same wavelength component as the first light L1, which is included in the reflected light Lr. Specifically, the first sensor 31g performs photoelectric conversion on the green light included in the reflected light Lr, thereby generating an electrical signal representing the intensity of the green light.

[0065] The second sensor 31v is a sensor having sensitivity to the peak wavelength of the second light L2. Purple For example, the second sensor 31v is sensitive to a wavelength band of 380 nm or more and less than 430 nm, and is not sensitive to any other wavelength band.

[0066] This allows the second sensor 31v to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the same wavelength component as the second light L2 contained in the reflected light Lr. Specifically, the second sensor 31v performs photoelectric conversion on the purple light contained in the reflected light Lr to generate an electrical signal representing the intensity of the purple light. The electrical signals generated by the first sensor 31g and the second sensor 31v are output to the control unit 40.

[0067] Fig. 4B is a diagram showing a configuration of an optical sensor unit 30B according to the second modification of the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4B, the optical sensor unit 30B includes a sensor 31 and a filter 32. The sensor 31 is the same as the sensor 31 shown in Fig. 1.

[0068] The filter 32 is a filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength. The light that has passed through the filter 32 is incident on the sensor 31.

[0069] The filter 32 has a passband including the peak wavelength of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2. For example, the filter 32 is a bandpass filter having a passband in a wavelength band (green light) of 505 nm or more and less than 525 nm including the peak wavelength of the first light L1. Alternatively, the filter 32 may be a bandpass filter having a passband in a wavelength band (violet light) of 380 nm or more and less than 430 nm including the peak wavelength of the second light L2. Alternatively, the filter 32 may be a multi-bandpass filter having passbands in multiple wavelength bands (for example, green light and violet light). The width of the passband is less than 20 nm, but may be 10 nm or less, or may be 5 nm or less.

[0070] Light of a predetermined wavelength that has passed through the filter 32 is incident on the sensor 31. Therefore, for example, the sensor 31 can generate an electrical signal that represents the intensity of green light contained in the reflected light Lr, or an electrical signal that represents the intensity of violet light contained in the reflected light Lr.

[0071] [Effects, etc.] As described above, the endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment includes the insertion section 10 having the base end section 10b and the tip end section 10a, at least the tip end section 10a being inserted into the subject, the light source section 20 emitting the first light L1 and the second light L2 having a different hue from the first light L1, the optical sensor section 30 having sensitivity to at least one of the wavelengths of the first light L1 and the second light L2, and the control section 40 controlling the light source section 20 based on the detection result by the optical sensor section 30. The insertion section 10 includes a first optical fiber 11 that guides the first light L1 and the second light L2 emitted from the light source section 20 from the base end section 10b to the tip end section 10a and emits them as illumination light L from the tip end section 10a, and a second optical fiber 12 that guides the reflected light Lr of the illumination light L emitted from the tip end section 10a from the tip end section 10a to the base end section 10b. The optical sensor unit 30 receives the reflected light Lr guided through the second optical fiber 12. The control unit 40 controls the light source unit 20 based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr received by the optical sensor unit 30 to stop the emission of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2.

[0072] This allows the light emission of the light source unit 20 to be stopped based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr. The intensity of the reflected light Lr differs depending on whether the tip portion 10a of the insertion unit 10 is located inside or outside the subject. Therefore, based on the intensity of the reflected light Lr, light emission can be stopped when the tip portion 10a is located outside the subject. This makes it possible to prevent strong light from entering the human eye.

[0073] Furthermore, by guiding the reflected light Lr to the optical sensor unit 30 by the second optical fiber 12, it is not necessary to place the optical sensor unit 30 at the tip 10a of the insertion section 10. If the optical sensor unit 30 were placed at the tip 10a, a wiring cable would be required to supply power to the optical sensor unit 30 and to read out signals. For this reason, it would be difficult to reduce the diameter of the insertion section 10 due to the influence of the optical sensor unit 30 and the wiring cable.

[0074] In contrast, according to the endoscope system of the present embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the electrical configuration from the insertion portion 10 (electricity free), and thus it is possible to realize a thinner diameter of the insertion portion 10. Furthermore, by realizing an electricity free configuration, it is possible to dispose of the insertion portion 10 (disposable).

[0075] Furthermore, for example, the control unit 40 compares a relative value of the intensity of a predetermined wavelength of the reflected light Lr received by the optical sensor unit 30 with the intensity of the predetermined wavelength of the reflected light Lr when the tip portion 10a is inserted into the subject, with a threshold value. When the relative value is higher than the threshold value, the control unit 40 stops the emission of at least one of the first light L1 and the second light L2.

[0076] This makes it possible to use the relative value of the intensity of the reflected light Lr to make a determination according to the characteristics of the light source unit 20. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the tip portion 10a is located inside or outside the subject.

[0077] Furthermore, for example, the predetermined wavelength is the peak wavelength of the second light L2. When the relative value is higher than a threshold value, the control unit 40 stops the emission of the second light L2.

[0078] This allows the wavelength of the light emitted by the light source unit 20 and the wavelength of the light received by the optical sensor unit 30 to be the same, thereby suppressing the influence of external light, etc. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the tip portion 10a is located inside or outside the subject.

[0079] Moreover, for example, the optical sensor unit 30 includes a sensor 31 having sensitivity to a wavelength band including the peak wavelengths of the first light L1 and the second light L2.

[0080] As a result, even if there is variation in the emitted light from the light source unit 20, the optical sensor unit 30 can receive light according to the wavelength of the emitted light. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the tip portion 10a is located inside or outside the subject.

[0081] Also, for example, the endoscope system 1 may include an optical sensor unit 30B instead of the optical sensor unit 30. The optical sensor unit 30B includes a filter 32 that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength, and a sensor 31 that is sensitive to the predetermined wavelength and receives the light that has passed through the filter 32.

[0082] This makes it possible to obtain the intensity of light of a predetermined wavelength with a simple configuration.

[0083] Also, for example, the endoscope system 1 may include an optical sensor unit 30A instead of the optical sensor unit 30. The optical sensor unit 30A includes a plurality of sensors having different wavelength bands to which the sensors have sensitivity. The plurality of sensors includes a first sensor 31g having sensitivity to the peak wavelength of the first light L1 and a second sensor 31v having sensitivity to the peak wavelength of the second light L2.

[0084] This allows the reflected light of the first light L1 and the reflected light of the second light L2 to be received by separate sensors, so that the intensity of each reflected light can be obtained with high accuracy, and therefore it is possible to accurately determine whether the tip 10a is located inside or outside the subject.

[0085] For example, the light source unit 20 includes a first light source 21 that emits a third light L3, a second light source 22 that emits a second light L2, and a wavelength conversion unit 23 that includes a phosphor that absorbs a portion of the third light L3 and emits a fourth light L4 having a different hue from the third light L3. The wavelength conversion unit 23 is disposed on the optical path of the third light L3, and when the third light L3 is incident, the wavelength conversion unit 23 emits at least a portion of a composite light of the portion of the third light L3 and the fourth light L4 as the first light L1.

[0086] This makes it possible to emit the first light L1 and the second light L2 having specific wavelength components, which makes it possible to perform special observations such as NBI.

[0087] Furthermore, for example, the light source unit 20 further includes a filter 24 that transmits light of a specific wavelength contained in the combined light, and emits the light that has passed through the filter 24 as the first light L1.

[0088] This makes it possible to emit the first light L1 having a specific wavelength component, which makes it possible to perform special observations such as NBI.

[0089] Moreover, for example, the first light source 21 is a blue laser light source, and the second light source 22 is a violet laser light source.

[0090] This makes it possible to perform NBI, an example of special observation. Since the laser light source emits narrow-band light, NBI can be performed with high precision.

[0091] Moreover, for example, the first light L1 is green light, and the second light L2 is violet light.

[0092] This makes it possible to perform NBI, which is an example of special observation.

[0093] (others) Although the endoscope system according to the present invention has been described based on the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0094] For example, the light source section 20 may not include the wavelength conversion section 23 and the filter 24. The light source section 20 may include, as the first light source 21, a green laser light source that emits the first light L1.

[0095] Furthermore, the light source unit 20 may emit blue light instead of either the green light or the violet light. For example, the light source unit 20 may not include the wavelength conversion unit 23 and the filter 24, and may allow the third light L3 emitted by the first light source 21, which is a blue laser light source, to be incident directly as the first light L1 on the end of the first optical fiber 11. This allows the light source unit 20 to emit blue light and violet light, and perform NBI using the blue light and violet light.

[0096] Alternatively, the light source unit 20 may not include the second light source 22 which is a violet laser light source. A part of the third light L3 emitted by the first light source 21 may be emitted as the second light L2 without passing through the wavelength conversion unit 23 and the filter 24. This allows the light source unit 20 to emit green light and blue light, and to perform NBI using the green light and violet light.

[0097] The special observation that can be performed using the endoscope system 1 may be ICG (indocyanine green) fluorescence imaging. Alternatively, the endoscope system 1 may be used for treatment such as photodynamic therapy (PDT). In these cases, a light source in which the peak wavelengths and half widths of the first light L1 and the second light L2 are adjusted to values ​​appropriate for the type of special observation and the type of PDT may be used as the light source unit 20.

[0098] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art may think of, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1 Endoscope system 10 Insertion section 10a Tip 10b Base end 11 First optical fiber (first light guide member) 12 Second optical fiber (second light guide member) 20 Light source section 21 First Light Source 22 Second Light Source 23 Wavelength conversion section 24, 32 Filter 30, 30A, 30B Optical sensor section 31 Sensors 31g First Sensor 31v 2nd sensor 40 Control section L illumination light L1 First Light L2 Second Light L3 The Third Light L4 The Fourth Light Lr reflected light

Claims

1. an insertion section having a proximal end and a distal end, at least the distal end being inserted into a subject; a light source unit that emits a first light and a second light having a different hue from the first light; an optical sensor unit having sensitivity to at least one of the wavelengths of the first light and the second light; a control unit that controls the light source unit based on a detection result by the optical sensor unit, The insertion portion is a first light guiding member that guides the first light and the second light emitted from the light source unit from the base end portion to the tip end portion and emits the first light and the second light from the tip end portion as illumination light; a second light guiding member that guides the reflected light of the illumination light emitted from the tip portion from the tip portion to the base end portion, The optical sensor unit receives the reflected light guided through the second light guide member, the control unit compares a relative value of an intensity of a predetermined wavelength of the reflected light received by the optical sensor unit with respect to an intensity of the predetermined wavelength of the reflected light when the tip portion is inserted into the subject, with a threshold value, and when the relative value is higher than the threshold value, controls the light source unit to stop emission of at least one of the first light and the second light. Endoscopy system.

2. the predetermined wavelength is a peak wavelength of the second light, The control unit stops emission of the second light when the relative value is higher than the threshold value. The endoscope system according to claim 1 .

3. The optical sensor unit includes: a filter that transmits light of the predetermined wavelength; a sensor having sensitivity to the predetermined wavelength and receiving light that has passed through the filter; The endoscope system according to claim 1 .

4. the optical sensor unit includes a sensor having sensitivity to a wavelength band including a peak wavelength of each of the first light and the second light, The endoscope system according to claim 1 .

5. the optical sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors having different wavelength bands to which the sensors are sensitive; The plurality of sensors include a first sensor having sensitivity to a peak wavelength of the first light; a second sensor sensitive to a peak wavelength of the second light; The endoscope system according to claim 1 .

6. The light source unit includes: a first light source that emits a third light; a second light source that emits the second light; a wavelength conversion unit including a phosphor that absorbs a portion of the third light and emits a fourth light having a hue different from that of the third light, The wavelength conversion unit is disposed on an optical path of the third light, and when the third light is incident, converts at least a part of a composite light of a part of the third light and the fourth light into the first light. Emit, The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. the light source unit further includes a filter that transmits light of a specific wavelength included in the combined light, and emits the light that has passed through the filter as the first light. The endoscope system according to claim 6 .

8. the first light source is a blue laser light source, The second light source is a violet laser light source. The endoscope system according to claim 6 or 7.

9. the first light is green light; The second light is a violet light. The endoscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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