Endoscope Oxygen Saturation Image Reliability Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope systems struggle to precisely display the reliability of biological function information, such as oxygen saturation levels, due to threshold-based methods that fail to accurately reflect slight deviations in pixel values, leading to incorrect classification of normal and abnormal areas.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system with an image information obtaining section, biological function information calculating section, and emphasized image generating section that produces images emphasizing abnormal areas by brightness or darkness, and includes a halation detecting section to differentiate between halation and non-halation areas, ensuring accurate representation of oxygen saturation levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a threshold-based method is used to distinguish abnormal areas from normal areas, then the processing is simple and fast, but the reliability of displaying oxygen saturation levels is reduced when pixel values are close to the threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the display parameter from a simple threshold-based binary classification to a continuous reliability index representation. Instead of using a fixed threshold to divide areas into normal/abnormal categories, the system calculates and displays a reliability index that continuously reflects the confidence level of oxygen saturation measurements, allowing users to assess reliability across the entire range of pixel values including those near the threshold
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reliability index as an intermediary between the raw pixel values and the final oxygen saturation display. This reliability index acts as a mediator that provides additional information about the quality of measurement, enabling users to interpret the oxygen saturation data with proper context about its reliability without requiring complex processing
2Device complexity
If threshold-based masking is applied to abnormal areas, then the display is simplified, but the precision of representing actual reliability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the display from a simplified binary masked view to a continuous reliability index representation. Instead of masking areas based on a fixed threshold, the system displays a reliability index that varies continuously with pixel value, providing precise representation of measurement reliability while maintaining visual clarity through color coding or gradient scales
3Measurement precision
If illumination light intensity is increased to improve image quality, then the image signal quality improves, but the correctness of oxygen saturation level is reduced due to abnormally high pixel values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the reliability index that informs users about the quality of the measurement. When pixel values are abnormally high due to excessive illumination, the reliability index reflects this degradation, allowing users to adjust illumination intensity or interpret results with appropriate caution, thus creating a closed-loop system for optimizing measurement conditions
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
The system effectively emphasizes abnormal areas, allowing for precise visualization of oxygen saturation levels and reducing processing time by avoiding unnecessary image processing in halation areas, thus enhancing the reliability and accuracy of biological function information display.
Implementation Method 1
image information obtaining means for obtaining image information by imaging an observation object
Implementation Method 2
calculate biological function information... based on the image signal with the use of a light absorption property of the blood vessel
Implementation Method 3
emphasized image generating means for producing an emphasized image by emphasizing by brightness an abnormal area in which a calculation result of the biological function information calculating means is likely to be abnormal
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
An endoscope system displays biological function information together with its reliability. An observation object is imaged under irradiation with oxygen saturation level measurement light to obtain a first image signal, and the observation object is imaged under irradiation with white light to obtain a second image signal. A normal light image (97) is produced from the second image signal. An oxygen saturation level is calculated from the first and second image signals. The calculated oxygen saturation level is imaged in an oxygen saturation image (96). By superimposing the normal light image (97) on the oxygen saturation image (96), an emphasized oxygen saturation image (98) is produced. In the emphasized oxygen saturation image (98), an abnormal area (99) in which a calculation result of the oxygen saturation level is likely to be abnormal is emphasized by its brightness. The produced emphasized oxygen saturation image (98) is displayed on a display device (14).