Fluoroscopy Apparatus Displacement-Based Fluorescence Normalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluoroscopy apparatuses face challenges in accurately normalizing fluorescence images due to shifts between fluorescence and reflected-light images caused by tissue pulsation, exposure time differences, and positional shifts, leading to incorrect normalization and potential misdiagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A fluoroscopy apparatus and method that generates white-light and fluorescence images, calculates displacement between images, and normalizes fluorescence images only when the displacement relative to the region size is within a predetermined proportion, ensuring accurate alignment and preventing incorrect normalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluorescence image normalization is performed using reflected-light image intensity, then the fluorescence image can be corrected for illumination variations, but incorrect normalization occurs when displacement between images exceeds a predetermined proportion
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the normalization process by continuously monitoring displacement between fluorescence and reflected-light images. When displacement exceeds a threshold, the system automatically stops normalization to prevent incorrect processing, and can resume when displacement returns to acceptable levels. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction by adapting the normalization behavior to real-time alignment conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by calculating displacement between images and using this information to control whether normalization should proceed. The displacement calculation provides feedback about alignment quality, and this feedback loops back to the normalization control to prevent incorrect normalization when misalignment is detected, thus maintaining both accuracy and reliability.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring of displacement is implemented to prevent incorrect normalization, then normalization reliability improves, but system complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the image processing workflow into distinct functional modules: a displacement calculating section that computes relative displacement between images, a region-size calculating section that identifies fluorescent regions, and a control section that decides whether to perform normalization based on displacement thresholds. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function efficiently without requiring the entire system to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The displacement calculation serves as an intermediary mechanism between image acquisition and normalization. Rather than directly complicating the normalization process, the system introduces this intermediate displacement assessment step that mediates whether normalization should occur, providing a simple binary decision criterion (displacement below threshold = normalize, above threshold = stop) that maintains system simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If displacement calculation is performed on multiple white-light images at time intervals, then accurate displacement measurement is achieved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs displacement calculation on multiple white-light images captured at time intervals, which provides more data points for accurate displacement measurement. Rather than using only two images, the system processes a sequence of images, allowing for more precise determination of relative displacement between fluorescence and reflected-light images, while the incremental processing of additional images provides better statistical 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
Prevents incorrect information from being displayed to medical professionals by ensuring accurate alignment of fluorescence and reflected-light images, maintaining precision in image normalization and reducing the likelihood of mistaken diagnoses.
Implementation Method 1
a fluorescence-image generating section that generates a fluorescence image from a signal obtained by image-capturing fluorescence generated by irradiation of the observation target with excitation light
Implementation Method 2
a white-light-image generating section that generates a white-light image from a signal obtained by image-capturing reflected light of white light that irradiates an observation target
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fluoroscopy apparatus comprising a white-light-image generating section that generates a white-light image of observation target, a fluorescence-image generating section that generates a fluorescence image of the observation target, a fluorescence-image correcting section that normalizes the fluorescence image with the white-light image, a displacement calculating section that calculates the displacement of the observation target from a plurality of white-light images generated at time intervals, a region-size calculating section that calculates the size of a region having a fluorescence intensity higher than or equal to a predetermined threshold value from the fluorescence image, and a control unit that controls the fluorescence-image correcting section so that, when the displacement of the observation target relative to the size of the region is larger than or equal to a predetermined proportion, normalization of the fluorescence image is stopped.