Fluorescence-Guided Treatment Support for Regional Progress Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatment support devices struggle with visually confirming variations in treatment progress across different regions of a treatment site, requiring manual interpretation of fluorescence intensity changes, which is burdensome for operators.
Innovation Solution
A system and device that analyze time-series fluorescence signals to generate an analysis image displaying treatment progress distribution for each region, using an irradiation unit, light detection unit, control unit, and display unit to automate the recognition of treatment progress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluorescence images before and after treatment are displayed in a superimposed manner, then the difference in fluorescence intensity between regions can be confirmed, but the operator must manually interpret the image to identify treatment progress variations, which increases operator burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an analysis image as an intermediary between the raw fluorescence images and the operator's interpretation. The analysis image is generated by the control unit through image processing that highlights treatment progress variations, serving as a mediator that translates complex fluorescence intensity changes into easily interpretable visual information, thereby reducing operator burden while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of visual image interpretation with an automated image processing system. The control unit automatically analyzes fluorescence signal changes and generates analysis images that directly indicate treatment progress, substituting the operator's manual analysis work with automated computational processing
2Loss of information
If manual visual recognition of fluorescence intensity is used to confirm treatment progress, then treatment progress can be identified, but the confirmation operation becomes a burden on the operator
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating analysis images that highlight treatment progress variations without requiring operator intervention for image interpretation. The control unit autonomously processes fluorescence signals and produces visual representations of treatment progress, making the system self-sufficient in information extraction and reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of visual image interpretation with an automated image processing system. The control unit automatically analyzes fluorescence signal changes and generates analysis images that directly indicate treatment progress, substituting the operator's manual analysis work with automated computational processing
3Measurement precision
If fluorescence images are displayed to show treatment progress, then treatment variations can be detected, but the process requires time-consuming manual analysis of fluorescence intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of visual image interpretation with an automated image processing system. The control unit automatically analyzes fluorescence signal changes and generates analysis images that directly indicate treatment progress, substituting the operator's manual analysis work with automated computational processing, thereby improving efficiency while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an analysis image as an intermediary between the raw fluorescence images and the operator's interpretation. The analysis image is generated by the control unit through image processing that highlights treatment progress variations, serving as a mediator that translates complex fluorescence intensity changes into easily interpretable visual information, thereby reducing operator burden while maintaining detection accuracy
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
Automated generation and display of analysis images enable easy identification of treatment progress distribution across treatment sites, reducing operator burden and improving accuracy in recognizing treatment variations.
Implementation Method 1
a light detection unit configured to detect fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent material of the medical agent excited by the therapeutic light emitted from the irradiation unit
Data Source
AI summary
This treatment support system (100) is provided with an irradiation unit (10) for irradiating a medical agent (102) administered to a subject of a cancer subject (101) with therapeutic light in treatment for killing a cancer cell by irradiating the medical agent with the therapeutic light, a light detection unit (30) for detecting fluorescence excited by the therapeutic light, a control unit (51), and a display unit (60). The control unit (51) includes a signal acquisition unit (51a) for acquiring a fluorescence signal, an analysis processing unit (51c) for generating the analysis image (203) that displays a treatment progress distribution for each region of the treatment site based on a change along time series of the fluorescence signal, and an image output unit (51d) for outputting the analysis image (203).