Endoscope Oxygen Saturation Imaging with Positional Shift Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems face issues with positional shifts in biological tissue images due to movement or camera shake, leading to artifacts in oxygen saturation distribution images, where regions with abnormal oxygen saturation values are incorrectly displayed as having low or high saturation.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope system that uses a light source emitting multiple types of light with different wavelength bands to generate color image data, where a processor calculates hemoglobin and oxygen saturation levels and adjusts pixel transparency in the oxygen saturation distribution image to prevent the prominence of abnormal values caused by positional shifts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple types of light with different wavelength bands are used to capture spectral images at different time intervals, then oxygen saturation distribution information can be obtained, but positional shifts occur in the biological tissue images causing artifacts in the oxygen saturation distribution image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by capturing a white light image (reference image) before capturing spectral images at different wavelengths. This reference image is used later to correct positional shifts in the spectral images. By establishing the reference frame in advance, the system can compensate for tissue movement and camera shake that occur during subsequent spectral image acquisition, thereby maintaining measurement precision while accounting for positional instability.
2Loss of information
If spectral images are captured at different time intervals, then oxygen saturation distribution can be visualized, but movement of biological tissue and shaking of image sensor cause positional shifts leading to erroneous abnormal values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the captured white light reference image to detect and correct positional shifts in the spectral images. The system compares the positions of tissue features in spectral images against the reference image, identifies deviations caused by movement or shake, and applies correction transformations. This feedback mechanism ensures that oxygen saturation values are calculated from correctly aligned images, preventing erroneous abnormal values while preserving the oxygen saturation distribution information.
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 displays oxygen saturation distribution images by adjusting pixel transparency, reducing the likelihood of erroneous judgments and specifying correct locations of malignant tumors by minimizing the impact of image positional shifts.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor configured to generate a plurality of pieces of color image data of images of biological tissue that correspond to the at least two types of light by imaging the biological tissue illuminated with the at least two types of light
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope system captures images of biological tissue when illuminated with first to third light, and generates first to third color image data. The amount of hemoglobin in the biological tissue and the oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin are calculated using components of the first to third color image data, an oxygen saturation distribution image that shows the distribution of the oxygen saturation is generated, and control is performed such that the generated oxygen saturation distribution image is displayed superimposed on a captured image of the biological tissue on a display. The oxygen saturation is calculated based on the amount of hemoglobin and a second ratio obtained using components of the color image data. The transparency is adjusted for pixels in which the value of the second ratio is outside an allowable range for the second ratio determined according to the amount of hemoglobin.