Medical Endoscope Image Processing for Type-Specific Recognition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical imaging systems struggle to effectively integrate and display both ultrasound and optical endoscopic images in a manner that allows for seamless recognition and differentiation of features, limiting the user's ability to visualize appropriate information based on the type of endoscope connected.

Innovation Solution

A medical support device and system that includes separate image processing devices for ultrasound and optical endoscopes, capable of generating and processing both ultrasound and optical images, and utilizing trained models to recognize specific features, ensuring appropriate image display and recognition results are outputted based on the connected endoscope type.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If both ultrasound and optical images are displayed on the same screen, then the user can access multiple types of medical imaging information, but the user cannot visually recognize information suitable for the specific type of endoscope connected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different endoscope typesVSAvoidloss of endoscope type identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary device (the image processing system) that receives images from different endoscope types and adds appropriate identification information. This intermediary processes the raw images and attaches metadata indicating whether the image is from an ultrasound endoscope or optical endoscope, enabling the display device to correctly identify and process images based on their source type without requiring modification to the endoscopes themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the system processes both ultrasound and optical images through the same processing pipeline, then the device complexity is reduced, but the recognition precision of endoscope-specific features deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage processing system structureVSAvoidfeature recognition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image processing pipeline into distinct processing paths based on endoscope type. The image processing device separates ultrasound images and optical images into different processing streams, applying type-appropriate processing algorithms to each. This segmentation ensures that each image type receives optimized processing while maintaining an overall integrated system architecture, thus preserving recognition precision without excessive complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4609779A1Medical support device, endoscope system, and medical support method
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 FUJIFILM CORP
  • EP4609779A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4609779A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4609779A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a medical support device, an endoscope system, and a medical support method capable of allowing a user to visually recognize information suitable for a type of an endoscope connected to an image processing device. A medical support method includes acquiring a first optical image and an ultrasound image in a case in which an ultrasound endoscope is connected to an image processing device, acquiring a second optical image in a case in which an optical endoscope is connected to the image processing device, outputting the first optical image and the ultrasound image to a display device in a case in which the ultrasound endoscope is connected to the image processing device; and outputting the second optical image and a first recognition result, which is obtained by causing a trained model for an optical image to recognize a first feature region shown in the second optical image, to the display device in a case in which the optical endoscope is connected to the image processing device.