3D Endoscopy Coverage Mapping for Unobserved Colon Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic examination techniques do not provide a method to confirm the observation state of multiple sites in the large intestine after the examination, leading to an excessive burden on operators creating reports.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic examination support apparatus that generates a three-dimensional model of the large intestine, detects unobserved areas, and creates a display image indicating the observation achievement degree for each site, using depth estimation, camera posture estimation, and image recognition models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual review of endoscopic images is performed to confirm observation completeness, then observation accuracy is improved, but operator burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-assessment by automatically analyzing endoscopic images to detect unobserved areas and calculate observation achievement degrees, eliminating the need for manual review while maintaining accurate assessment of observation completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical review processes with automated image analysis algorithms that process endoscopic images to identify unobserved areas and generate observation reports, substituting human labor with computational analysis
2Reliability
If detailed tracking of all observed sites is implemented, then observation completeness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for assessment by detecting unobserved areas and calculating observation achievement degrees, rather than tracking and processing all detailed observation data, thereby simplifying the system while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified three-dimensional model representation of the luminal organ that copies only the necessary spatial and observational information, avoiding the complexity of processing complete raw image datasets while preserving observation completeness assessment
Data Source
AI summary
In the endoscopic examination support apparatus, three three-dimensional model generation means generates a three-dimensional model of a luminal organ in which an endoscope camera is placed, based on endoscopic images acquired by imaging an interior of the luminal organ with the endoscope camera. The unobserved area detection means detects an area estimated not to be observed by the endoscope camera, as an unobserved area, based on the three-dimensional model. The display image generation means generates a display image including information indicating an observation achievement degree for each of a plurality of sites of the luminal organ, based on the detection result of the unobserved area. The endoscopic examination support apparatus may be used to support user's decision making.