Endoscopic Image Processing for Vascular Feature Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic imaging technologies struggle to effectively capture detailed features of tissues inside the body, as changes in absorption caused by narrow-band light are not visible in white light images, limiting the depth and clarity of observations.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that acquires multiple narrow-band images with different wavelength components, extracts absorption information by analyzing the correlation between these images, and combines this information with white light images to generate a display image, highlighting changes in absorption that are not apparent in standard white light images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If white light is used for illumination, then the overall brightness and general structure of the tissue are well captured, but absorption changes by narrow-band light cannot be visualized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the illumination spectrum into multiple narrow-band components (e.g., blue, green, red bands) and captures images separately for each band. This allows the system to preserve both the overall tissue structure (from combined imaging) and the absorption characteristics specific to each wavelength band, resolving the contradiction between general brightness and absorption information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spectral dimension to traditional two-dimensional imaging by capturing images at multiple wavelength bands. This creates a multi-dimensional data structure where each pixel contains information across different spectral dimensions, enabling simultaneous visualization of overall structure and wavelength-specific absorption changes.
2Measurement precision
If multiple narrow-band images are captured and processed, then absorption information can be extracted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single endoscope camera to capture multiple narrow-band images by sequentially illuminating the tissue with different narrow-band lights. This copying approach allows the same camera to gather spectral information without requiring multiple separate cameras or complex multi-sensor systems, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary spectral unmixing and absorption calculation in the image processing stage rather than requiring complex optical hardware. By pre-processing the captured images through algorithms that separate absorption and scattering components, the system achieves precise absorption measurement without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If narrow-band light is used, then absorption features of blood vessels are enhanced, but the overall image brightness and structural context are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple narrow-band images with different wavelength characteristics to create a composite image that preserves both the absorption-enhancing properties of narrow-band light and the brightness/structural context of broader spectral coverage. The merging process combines spectral information while maintaining visual interpretability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different spectral characteristics to different regions of interest within the image. By identifying vascular structures through narrow-band imaging and then applying appropriate spectral weighting or enhancement locally, the system maintains high vascular detection precision while preserving overall image brightness and structural context in non-vascular regions.
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
This approach allows for more detailed and informative endoscopic observations by extracting and displaying absorption changes, enhancing the visibility of fine blood vessels and vascular structures, thereby improving diagnostic capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
since blue narrow-band light is easily absorbed by hemoglobin, fine blood vessels on a superficial layer under a mucosa or the like clearly appear in a narrow-band image captured with use of blue narrow-band light
Implementation Method 2
an absorption information extracting unit configured to extract absorption information from a first image on the basis of a specific frequency component in the first image and correlation between the first image and a second image
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device includes: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images including at least one narrow-band image and having different wavelength component distributions from one another; an absorption information extracting unit configured to extract absorption information from a first image on the basis of a specific frequency component in the first image and correlation between the first image and a second image, the first image being a narrow-band image among the images, the second image being an image different from the first image among the images, the absorption information being image information indicating a change in absorption caused by absorption of narrow-band light used in capturing of the first image by a light absorber; and a display image generating unit configured to generate an image for display by combining the absorption information with at least any one of the images.