Endoscope Oxygen-Saturation Imaging for Clear Ischemic Boundaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems struggle to clearly distinguish between normal and ischemic sites during surgical procedures, leading to potential suture failures due to insufficient tissue agglutination, as current oxygen saturation imaging techniques often display these areas in similar color tones, making boundary discrimination difficult.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that calculates actual and reference values of oxygen saturation using multiple spectral images, generates relative values, and displays these using evaluation and observation color tables to create clearer indices for distinguishing between normal and ischemic sites.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing oxygen saturation imaging techniques are used, then oxygen saturation information can be obtained, but normal and ischemic sites are displayed in similar color tones making boundary discrimination difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by introducing a new color mapping system that specifically enhances the visual contrast between normal and ischemic tissues. The processing apparatus generates an ischemia evaluation image where color tones are deliberately modified to create distinct visual boundaries, allowing surgeons to easily discriminate between healthy and compromised tissue regions while preserving accurate oxygen saturation measurement data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by transforming the display parameters of oxygen saturation data without altering the measurement parameters. The system processes the oxygen saturation values through a transformation function that maps them to enhanced color tones, creating a visual representation where subtle physiological differences are amplified into clearly distinguishable color variations for boundary identification.
2Ease of operation
If visual inspection based on color tone is used to determine blood flow, then simple observation is possible, but ischemic boundaries that are difficult to observe cannot be visualized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing apparatus that acts as a mediator between the endoscope's oxygen saturation measurement and the surgeon's visual inspection. This intermediary device receives the physiological data, processes it through enhanced color mapping algorithms, and outputs a visually amplified representation that makes ischemic boundaries easily detectable through simple visual inspection, combining the advantages of both automated measurement and human visual assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color changes to transform subtle physiological variations into visually prominent boundaries. By applying enhanced color mapping to the oxygen saturation data, the system creates distinct color zones that correspond to normal and ischemic tissues, allowing surgeons to perform simple visual inspection while accurately detecting ischemic boundaries that would otherwise be invisible or difficult to distinguish.
3Measurement precision
If ICG fluorescence imaging is used to visualize ischemic boundaries, then clear visualization is achieved, but re-administration and re-observation are difficult due to agent persistence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the chemical-based ICG fluorescence method with a physics-based optical measurement approach. Instead of relying on fluorescent agents that persist in the bloodstream, the system uses the endoscope's built-in light source and sensor to measure oxygen saturation through light absorption properties of hemoglobin. This substitution eliminates the need for repeated agent administration while maintaining clear ischemic boundary visualization through processed color images.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the physiological state without requiring physical agents. By measuring oxygen saturation through optical properties and generating enhanced color representations, the system produces multiple observable copies of tissue health status over time without the limitations of agent persistence, allowing repeated observations and assessments during surgery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables clearer visualization of tissue boundaries, reducing the risk of suture failure by providing distinct color representations of normal and ischemic areas, thereby improving surgical precision.
Implementation Method 1
a light source unit configured to emit first light and second light having different wavelengths respectively
Implementation Method 2
an imaging unit configured to capture a first image and a second image by receiving the first light and the second light respectively which are reflected from an observation target
Data Source
AI summary
An actual measurement value calculation unit calculates a first actual measurement value of oxygen saturation of a tissue to be observed. A reference value calculation unit calculates a first reference value of the oxygen saturation of the tissue to be observed. A relative value calculation unit calculates a relative value of the first actual measurement value with reference to the first reference value. An image generation unit generates an image of the relative value of the first actual measurement value on the basis of an evaluation color table to generate an evaluation oxygen-saturation image. A display unit displays the evaluation oxygen-saturation image.