Medical Lumen Image Processing for Apparatus State Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical imaging systems lack the ability to accurately determine the operation state of medical apparatuses within a subject's lumen, such as whether they are inserted, advancing, or retracting, which hinders effective endoscope-based examinations.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device that estimates the operation state of a medical apparatus within a subject's lumen by analyzing intraluminal images and sensor data, determining insertion, advancement, and retraction states, and performs corresponding processing based on these estimations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If medical apparatus operation state detection is not implemented, then the system structure remains simple, but the examination effectiveness and navigation accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexamination effectivenessVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operation state determination is divided into distinct segments: insertion state determination, advancement state determination, and retraction state determination. Each segment processes specific image features and sensor data independently, then integrates results to provide comprehensive operation state feedback, improving reliability without overwhelming system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of operation state continuously during the examination procedure. By detecting insertion, advancement, and retraction states in real-time before critical events occur, the system enables proactive navigation adjustments and lesion identification, enhancing examination effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If real-time operation state estimation is implemented, then navigation accuracy improves, but processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs operation state estimation at periodic intervals during the examination rather than continuously processing every frame. This periodic processing approach maintains navigation accuracy by providing regular state updates while reducing overall computational load and processing time requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial processing by focusing computational resources on detecting only the critical operation states (insertion, advancement, retraction) rather than analyzing all possible image features. This selective approach achieves sufficient navigation accuracy without excessive processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If multiple operation states are detected, then the information completeness improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddetection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image processing device performs multiple functions: it detects insertion state, advancement state, and retraction state using the same core image processing and sensor integration capabilities. This multi-functionality approach provides comprehensive operation state information without requiring separate specialized detection systems for each state, thus avoiding excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12414675B2Image processing device, operation method, and computer readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

An image processing device includes a processor including hardware, the processor being configured to execute: estimating an operation state of a medical apparatus in a lumen of a subject based on information sequentially input from the medical apparatus, the medical apparatus including an imaging device, and an insertion portion inserted into the lumen, and the information including at least an intraluminal image obtained by the imaging device capturing an image inside the lumen; and performing processing corresponding to the operation state of the medical apparatus in the lumen based on an estimation result.