Surgical Thread Visibility via Fluorescent Image Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
There are limitations in improving the visibility of surgical threads during operations, as simply coloring or making them fluorescent does not adequately address the challenge due to their small diameter and the operational lighting conditions.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device and method that captures images under different illumination conditions, synthesizing a surgical thread's fluorescent appearance with visible light images to enhance visibility, using a combination of special light and normal light images to create a synthetic image that clearly displays both the thread and the operative site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the suture thread is colored with a color different from the living body (e.g., black or purple), then the visibility of the thread is improved, but the improvement is limited due to the small diameter of the suture thread
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by making the suture thread fluorescent, causing it to emit light at specific wavelengths when exposed to certain illumination conditions. This allows the thread to stand out against the living body tissue through its unique fluorescent properties rather than relying solely on color contrast, thereby improving visibility despite the small diameter
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional color contrast to three-dimensional light emission by using fluorescent materials. The thread doesn't just reflect light differently colored; it actively emits light, adding a new dimension to how visibility is achieved and overcoming the limitations imposed by the small diameter
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the suture thread is made to fluoresce, then the visibility is improved, but there is still a limit to the improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple imaging approaches by combining fluorescent imaging with visible light imaging. It captures images under fluorescent illumination conditions and separately under visible light conditions, then synthesizes these images to create a composite view that leverages the advantages of both methods, thereby achieving more reliable and adequate visibility improvement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image synthesis process as an intermediary that bridges fluorescent imaging and visible light imaging. This synthesis unit processes both types of images and creates a combined image that maintains the fluorescent enhancement while incorporating the contextual information from visible light imaging, thus achieving more reliable visibility improvement
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If images are captured under different illumination conditions and synthesized, then the visibility of the thread is significantly improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling a single imaging system to perform multiple functions: capturing images under fluorescent illumination, capturing images under visible light illumination, and synthesizing these images. This allows one device to address multiple visibility challenges simultaneously without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function
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
This approach significantly improves the visibility of the surgical thread by aligning and superimposing images from different lighting conditions, allowing for better recognition of both the thread and the operative site, thus facilitating smoother surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a surgical thread which fluoresces in a pattern not present in a living body
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, a surgery system, and a surgical thread capable of further improving visibility of the thread. The image processing device is provided with an image obtaining unit which obtains a first image imaged under an illumination condition in which the surgical thread fluoresces and a second image imaged under an illumination condition including at least visible light as images of an operative site using the surgical thread which fluoresces, and a synthesis unit which generates a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing an area of the surgical thread of the first image and the second image. The present technology is applicable to, for example, a surgery system and the like.