Endoscope Image Processing for Capillary Vessel Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope systems face challenges in accurately diagnosing microstructures due to the interference of capillary vessels, leading to potential misdiagnosis, as existing methods cannot selectively enhance or suppress the display of capillary vessels and microstructures separately.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device and method that generate endoscope images by extracting and controlling the display of capillary vessels and microstructures using a combination of image signal generators, structure-extracted image generators, and display controllers, employing blue narrowband light and spectral calculation to differentiate and enhance or suppress the visual recognition of these structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high-pass filtering is performed to enhance both capillary vessels and microstructure, then the display of both structures is enhanced, but the blood vessels hinder accurate diagnosis of the microstructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into distinct frequency bands: one for extracting capillary vessels (blood vessel portions) and another for extracting microstructure. By separating the enhancement of these two structures into different processing paths, the system can enhance capillary vessels without allowing them to interfere with microstructure diagnosis, thus resolving the contradiction between display enhancement and diagnosis accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different image processing qualities to different regions of the image. Specifically, it enhances the display of capillary vessels in certain areas while suppressing or differently processing areas where microstructure diagnosis is prioritized. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize display enhancement for blood vessels without compromising the accuracy of microstructure diagnosis in critical regions.
2Reliability
If selective enhancement/suppression of capillary vessels and microstructure is performed, then accurate separate diagnosis is enabled, but existing filtering processes cannot achieve selective enhancement/suppression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control mechanisms that allow the system to adjust the degree of enhancement and suppression of capillary vessels and microstructure based on diagnostic needs. The processing is not static but can be dynamically modified through multiple processing stages and parameters, enabling selective enhancement/suppression while managing complexity through a structured, multi-step approach rather than a single complex filter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs intermediary processing steps between the original image and the final enhanced image. These intermediaries include multiple filtering stages, frequency separation processes, and controlled enhancement steps that mediate between the raw image data and the selectively enhanced output. This intermediary approach enables selective enhancement/suppression by breaking down the complex task into manageable intermediate processing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A base image includes a B image signal in which ductal structure is brighter than mucous membrane and capillary vessels are darker than the mucous membrane. The B image signal is subjected to a frequency filtering process for extracting frequency components including the ductal structure and the capillary vessels. Thereby, a structure-extracted image signal, in which a pixel value of the ductal structure is a positive value and a pixel value of the capillary vessels is a negative value, is generated. Based on the structure-extracted image signal, a display controlling image to be used for enhancing display of the ductal structure and suppressing display of the capillary vessels is generated. The base image is combined with the display controlling image to obtain a display-controlled image in which the display of the ductal structure is enhanced and the display of the capillary vessels is suppressed.