JP7389484B2 - Cervical cancer examination device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cervical cancer examination device that has a simple configuration and enables early detection of cervical cancer without placing a burden on a subject.

Conventionally, in the medical field, when a doctor examines a subject for cervical cancer, a cervical cancer examination device called a colposcope is used (for example, see Patent Document 1). . The colposcope disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a mirror body (utero-vaginal magnifier), a base portion with casters that determines the position of the entire device, and a vertical movement arm that moves the mirror body in the vertical direction. The mirror body is provided with a horizontally movable arm that moves the mirror body in the horizontal direction, and the horizontally movable arm is constituted by a parallelogram link means. The mirror can be swung horizontally and vertically by parallelogram link means, and the doctor can position the housing via the arms and look through the mirror to see the enlarged uterus. It becomes possible to observe the vaginal area (examination site). In addition, as a colposcope related to Patent Document 1, a product manufactured by Olympus Medical Systems Co., Ltd. (product name: Colposcope OCS-500) is commercially available, and a TV camera, 35mm camera, and digital camera are attached to the device body. It can be attached to the patient's uterus and vagina (hereinafter referred to as the examination site), making it possible to obtain two-dimensional images and videos of the subject's utero-vaginal region (hereinafter referred to as the examination site).

In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 and commercially available colposcopes, the device itself is large, and the doctor moves the base part and moves the scope horizontally and vertically to place it on the examination site of the patient. It is necessary to align the positions, and it takes time to start the inspection, which poses a problem in operability. Therefore, Patent Document 2 proposes a colposcope that can be mounted on a doctor's head and does not require extensive installation work. The main body of this colposcope is configured so that it can be worn on the doctor's head. Inside the main body, there is an imaging unit that digitally converts the magnified image obtained by the zoom lens, and an imaging unit that is located in front of the eye when worn. A pair of monitors are provided. The image of the examination site taken by the imaging unit can be displayed on the pair of monitors, and the doctor can observe the image displayed on the monitor in front of his eyes. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that a storage unit is provided to store a two-dimensional image taken by an imaging unit, and the two-dimensional image is stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or a hard disk, or , it has been disclosed that image data and video data are transmitted to an external device such as a personal computer via a cable.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-140932 Patent No. 6368005

Compared to the colposcope disclosed in Patent Document 1, the colposcope disclosed in Patent Document 2 mentioned above is of a type to be worn on the head, and thus can be more easily handled. However, the test must be performed with the device still attached to the head, and the image is projected on a pair of monitors placed in front of the doctor's eyes, making it difficult to grasp the surrounding situation. Can not. Furthermore, if the patient moves his or her head slightly, the projected image will be significantly blurred, making it difficult to stably observe the examination site.

In addition, conventional colposcopes use a medical instrument called Cusco to spread the examination area of the subject up and down and observe it. We are observing the extent and spread of the effect by operating it in different directions. During this observation process, if there is a tumor site or a suspected tumor site, such as blood seeping out from the examination site, we will confirm the extent of the lesion (the extent of the tumor diameter). A special tape or the like is attached to the area to measure the degree of spread.

Such visual observation and measurement work naturally lacks accuracy and causes variations depending on the medical institution or doctor being examined, and also places a heavy burden on the subject as they are restrained for a long period of time. These factors are the main reason for the lower rate of cervical cancer examinations, and are also a factor in the high mortality rate from cervical cancer. As mentioned above, it is possible to photograph the inspection site with a camera and measure the extent of tumor spread from the two-dimensional image, but it is not possible to accurately measure the depth of the uneven surface or the degree of invasion. cannot be measured.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned problems, and is easy to handle and allows for easy and accurate observation of the examination site in a short examination time without placing a burden on the patient. The purpose is to provide an examination device for cervical cancer.

In order to achieve the above object, a cervical cancer diagnosis apparatus according to the present invention includes a housing, and a projector that is disposed in the housing and projects pattern light onto an examination site of a subject. and an optical element including a first imager and a second imager that capture images reflected by the patterned light from the inspection site, and an optical element provided in the housing to control the projection of the patterned light, a control unit that processes imaging data obtained from the first imager and the second imager and outputs three-dimensional image information of the inspection site; and a control unit that is integrated into the housing so that the housing can be operated hand-held. and a grip formed therein.

The cervical cancer diagnostic device described above is configured to hold the casing by holding the grip. The hand-operated housing includes a projector that projects pattern light onto the test site of the subject, and a first imager and a second image pickup device that capture images reflected by the pattern light from the test site. A control unit that processes the imaging data obtained from the first imager and the second imager is installed, and the system uses active measurement and stereo method to create a three-dimensional image of the inspection area. configured to retrieve. For this reason, by simply irradiating pattern light with a projector while expanding the test area of the examinee using Cusco, and capturing images of the reflected light with the first and second imagers, the test site can be expanded. Three-dimensional images can be acquired, making it possible to perform cervical cancer examinations in an extremely short time.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a cervical cancer examination device that is easy to handle and allows for easy and accurate observation of the examination site in a short examination time without placing a burden on the subject.

1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a cervical cancer diagnostic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the cervical cancer examination apparatus of FIG. 1, in which (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a plan view. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the inside of the casing of the cervical cancer diagnosis device shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing each component of the medical examination device.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one embodiment of the cervical cancer diagnostic device (hereinafter referred to as diagnostic device) according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a cervical cancer diagnosis device, FIG. 2(a) is a front view, FIG. 2(b) is a side view, FIG. 2(c) is a plan view, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the inside of the casing.

The diagnostic apparatus 1 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing 1A made of metal, hard plastic, or the like. The casing 1A has a front surface 1a having a height H of about 100 to 120 mm and a width W of about 50 to 60 mm, and a side surface 1b having a length (depth) L of about 90 to 110 mm. Furthermore, a grip 1B for gripping and holding is integrally formed on the rear side (rear surface 1c) of the side surface 1b of the casing 1A. This grip 1B is integrally formed with the housing 1A so that a substantially rectangular opening 1C is defined, and can be gripped with the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger inserted into the opening 1C. There is.

The grip 1B has a length L1 of about 75 to 85 mm, and a wall thickness W1 of about 35 to 40 mm. It is formed protrudingly on the opposite side (the side opposite to the front surface). Therefore, it is possible to hold and hold the grip 1B to operate the housing 1A in a hand-held manner, and the front surface 1a can be opposed to the test site of the subject. In addition, such a medical examination device 1 (casing 1A) can be stored in a storage bag or the like and carried, making it possible to perform medical examinations in various places and saving space in terms of storage. I can do it.

Note that the inner surface 1d of the grip 1B to be gripped is preferably inclined with respect to the front surface 1a (when gripped, the little finger side of the opening 1C is narrowed), as shown in FIG. 2(b). As a result, when the grip 1B is grasped, the front surface 1a faces diagonally upward, making it easier for the doctor to position the front surface 1a vertically at equal intervals with respect to the examination site of the subject. That is, it becomes easier to position the optical elements 10, which will be described later, at regular intervals along the inspection site, and operability can be improved.

On the front surface 1a of the housing 1A, there is a projector 11 that projects a phase-shifted pattern of light onto the test site of the subject, and a first imager that captures a reflected image of the pattern light from the test site. An optical element 10 including a camera 12 and a second imager 13 is provided. These optical elements 10 are provided in an imaging unit 15 disposed within the housing 1A, and are disposed so as to be exposed on the front surface 1a. Note that the optical element 10 of this embodiment is arranged such that the first imager 12 and the second imager 13 are arranged in a straight line on both sides of the projector 11. Further, in accordance with the arrangement of the optical element 10, the grip 1B is arranged in a straight line in which the first imager 12, the projector 11, and the second imager 13 are lined up on the opposite side of the part where the optical element 10 is arranged. It is preferable that it extends in a direction parallel to the line of the shape.

The projector 11 has a function of projecting a two-dimensional pattern image (a striped pattern that repeats brightness and darkness) necessary for three-dimensional shape measurement onto the inspection site, and can be configured with a projector or the like. be. A condensing lens (collimating lens) 11B is disposed on the front surface of the lens barrel 11A of the projector 11, and is configured to uniformly project a pattern image onto the inspection site. In this case, a first polarizing element 11a that converts pattern light (visible light) projected from the projector 11 into linearly polarized light is superimposed on the front side or the rear side (front side in FIG. 3) of the condenser lens 11B; It is preferable that a phase difference ring 11C provided with a first wavelength plate 11b that converts the linearly polarized light transmitted through the first polarizing element 11a into circularly or elliptically polarized light is disposed within the lens barrel 11A.

Further, the first imager 12 and the second imager 13 are for capturing an image of the reflected light from the inspection site of the predetermined pattern of light projected from the projector 11 (taking an image of the inspection site). be. Macro lenses 12B and 13B are disposed on the front surface of each lens barrel 12A and 13A, respectively. In this case, in a configuration in which the above-mentioned retardation ring 11C is disposed overlapping the condensing lens 11B of the projector 11, the respective macro lenses 12B and 13B are arranged at a 90° angle with respect to the polarization axis of the first polarizing element. A phase difference ring comprising second polarizing elements 12a, 13a having orthogonal polarization axes, and second wavelength plates 12b, 13b overlapping the second polarizing elements 12a, 13a and having the same phase difference as the first wavelength plate 11b. It is preferable to arrange 12C and 13C.

Inside the housing 1A, there is a control unit that controls the operation of the entire device, a control unit that controls the projection of the patterned light, and processes imaging data obtained from the first imager 12 and the second imager 13. A data processing unit is provided that outputs three-dimensional image information of the inspection site. The control section and the data processing section are installed in a control unit 100 that is disposed within a housing and includes a control board and the like on which various electronic components are mounted.
Furthermore, a heat sink 50 is disposed within the housing 1A to radiate heat generated from the control unit 100.

A power button 21 for turning on/off the entire device and an input operation section (operation panel; not shown) for inputting various operation signals are arranged on the exposed part of the housing 1A (the rear surface 1c in this embodiment). ing. Further, in this embodiment, the grip 1B is provided with an operation button 22 for photographing the first image pickup device 12 and the second image pickup device 13 while the grip is held.

The medical examination apparatus of the present invention is configured to obtain a three-dimensional image of an examination site using the above-described projector 11 and two imagers 12 and 13. A stereo phase shift method is used that can obtain high-definition three-dimensional images.

Since the stereo phase shift method is generally known, its details will be omitted, but it uses predetermined striped projection light (two-dimensional pattern light with brightness and darkness; visible light) whose brightness changes periodically. A projection device (corresponding to the projector 11) that projects onto the inspection site that is the object to be measured, and two imaging devices (corresponding to the imagers 12 and 13) that captures the reflected light from the inspection site (reflected light of the pattern light). It is equipped with a striped projection light whose brightness changes periodically and is projected onto the inspection site multiple times with the phase shifted multiple times within a certain period of time, and the reflected light is placed in two different directions. The image is captured using a separate imaging device. Then, from the images taken from these two directions, the phase value of each pixel of the image in each direction is calculated according to a predetermined image processing program, and the position where the phase value in the two directions is the same is determined, and the measurement The configuration is such that the three-dimensional shape of the inspection site is calculated based on the principle of triangulation from three points at two positions where the object is imaged.

For this reason, the projector 11 is composed of a projector or the like that projects a predetermined pattern image stored in advance in a pattern storage section toward the inspection site. Specifically, the projector 11 uses a projector driver to shift the phase of a two-dimensional pattern image within the measurement range of the measurement area with respect to the inspection area multiple times within a certain period of time (a short time of 1 second or less). It has a function to project multiple times.

Further, the imagers 12 and 13 have an area sensor of an image sensor (CMOS sensor, CCD sensor, etc.) with a fixed number of pixels, and each pixel is provided with color information of three channels of RGB, and the area to be inspected. It has a function to acquire the signal value corresponding to the brightness above and convert it into photoelectricity. Image signals containing color information obtained by the imagers 12 and 13 are image-processed according to a predetermined image processing program to generate a phase image (a colored three-dimensional image signal).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram conceptually showing each component of the above-described medical examination device.
A control unit 100 including a control section 100A and a data processing section 100B is disposed within the housing, and the control section 100A of this control unit is connected to a CPU 101 that controls each component installed in the device. , a ROM 102 that stores various operating programs and pattern images projected onto the inspection site, a RAM 103 that temporarily stores various information, and a projector driver 110 that projects a predetermined pattern image onto the projector. It includes an imager driver 120 that drives and controls the imagers 12 and 13.

The data processing unit 100B also includes an image data storage unit 130 that stores a phase image based on reflected light (image data) of a pattern image from the inspection site imaged by the two imagers 12 and 13, and an image data storage unit A three-dimensional image generation unit 140 is provided which generates a three-dimensional image (three-dimensional image) from the image data stored in the image processing program 130 according to an image processing program. A three-dimensional color image signal of the inspection site is generated from the obtained phase image information. The data processing section 100B is connected to the control section 100A via a bus 300.

The bus 300 includes a communication port (interface) 150 for transmitting the video signal generated by the three-dimensional image generation unit 140 to various external devices 200, and an operation button for inputting the above-mentioned power button 21 and a shooting start signal. 22, and further connected to an input operation section 160 having operation buttons for inputting various operation signals (signals for various mode settings, changes, photographing condition changes, settings, etc.).

The above-mentioned external device 200 is a terminal such as a personal computer that is connected to the examination device 1 by wire such as a USB cable or wirelessly such as WiFi, or a cloud computer, etc. The video signal is analyzed by a predetermined video processing program, and in addition to the photographed stereoscopic image of the inspection site, it is possible to display images set in the XY plane, YZ plane, and XZ plane on the monitor.

The medical examination device 1 having the above-mentioned configuration is configured such that a doctor holds the grip 1B and operates the housing 1A in a hand-held manner. They can be placed in close proximity. This eliminates the need for large-scale setup operations for the device, such as moving the base with casters to align the scope with the inspection site, as in the past, improving handling and operability. It does not require storage space. That is, according to the medical examination device 1 according to the present invention, the doctor operates the Cusco with one hand to spread the examination area (spread it in the vertical direction), and operates the housing 1A with the other hand to open the optical A three-dimensional image of the test site can be obtained by arranging the element 10 to face the test site and pressing the operation button 22 provided on the grip 1B.

In this case, the diagnostic apparatus 1 having the above-mentioned configuration includes a projector 11, and a first imager 12 and a second imager 13 that capture images reflected by patterned light from the examination site, on the front surface 1a of the housing 1A. Since the optical elements 10 provided with the optical elements 10 are arranged in a straight line and the first imager 12 and second imager 13 are arranged on both sides of the projector 11, the distance between each imager is the most distant. Therefore, a three-dimensional image can be obtained with high accuracy. Furthermore, the grip 1B integrally formed with the housing 1A is located on the opposite side of the part where the optical element 10 is arranged, and extends in a direction parallel to the linear line in which the optical element 10 is arranged. It becomes easier to position the inspection area by operating the Cusco and expanding it in the vertical direction. In addition, since the user only has to press the operation button 22 for taking pictures with the first imager 12 and the second imager 13 while holding the grip 1B in this state, the patient can be examined after lying on his back. The device 1 can be positioned at a predetermined position and the test can be completed immediately.

As described above, in the present invention, since images of the inspection site are acquired using the stereo phase shift method, highly accurate and high-definition three-dimensional images can be acquired in a short imaging time. In addition, since the housing 1A can be handheld, it is easy to operate and handle, and imaging can be done in a short time, so cervical cancer examinations can be performed easily and accurately without putting a burden on the examinee. becomes possible. In this case, the inspection site photographed by the first imager 12 and second imager 13, which image the patterned light projected by the projector 11, is not a two-dimensional image like that taken by a conventional colposcope camera. Since it is a three-dimensional color and three-dimensional image, it is possible to observe the depth of the uneven surface, the degree of infiltration, and color changes, and to determine whether there is a lesion (tumor site) or not. Furthermore, the size (tumor diameter) can be easily determined without using a special tape.

In the above-described examination apparatus 1, the doctor operates the Cusco with one hand to perform imaging while expanding the examination region in the vertical direction. Normally, Cusco is made of metal, so when the projector 11 projects pattern light, there is a possibility that glare will be generated by the reflected light from Cusco. In addition, by arranging the phase difference rings 12C and 13C in the first imager 12 and the second imager 13, it is possible to suppress such glare. In particular, the first wave plate 11b of the retardation ring 11C and/or the second wave plate 12b, 13b of the retardation rings 12C, 13C are arranged in the respective polarizing elements 11a and 12a, which are arranged in an overlapping manner. , 13a, the phase angle can be changed by rotating the wave plate, even if the appearance may change (its reflection angle changes) depending on the color and contrast of the Cusco background. It becomes possible to move it and install it in a state where it is easy to see.

As described above, according to the above-mentioned inspection device 1, the condition of the inspection site can be accurately acquired in a three-dimensional color image in an extremely short time, so there is no burden on the subject, and cervical cancer can be detected. This makes it possible to improve the rate of medical examinations. In this case, if a tumor is suspected or actually exists based on the obtained three-dimensional image data of the examination site, the subject may be prompted to undergo a detailed examination. Furthermore, when image data is managed in the cloud, it becomes possible to request an examination by a specialist in cervical cancer, and it is also possible to obtain more accurate examination results.

Although the embodiments of the inspection device according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways.
For example, the shape of the casing 1A of the above-described inspection device, the shape of the grip 1B, and the arrangement of the optical element 10 can be modified as appropriate.

1 Uterine cancer testing device 1A Housing 1B Grip 1a Front surface 10 Optical element 11 Projector 12, 13 Imager

Claims (6)

A casing and
a projector disposed in the housing and projecting patterned light onto the examination site of the subject; and a first imager and a second imager that capture images reflected by the patterned light from the examination site. an optical element comprising;
a control unit that is provided in the housing and controls the projection of the patterned light, processes imaging data obtained from the first imager and the second imager, and outputs three-dimensional image information of the inspection site; and,
a grip integrally formed with the casing so that the casing can be held in hand;
A diagnostic device for cervical cancer characterized by having the following. 2. The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is disposed in the housing so that the first imager and the second imager are lined up in a straight line on both sides of the projector. Diagnosis device for cervical cancer. The grip is located on the opposite side of the part where the optical element is arranged, and extends in a direction parallel to a linear line in which the first imager, the second imager, and the projector are lined up. The cervical cancer diagnostic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cervix according to claim 3, wherein the grip is provided with an operation button for performing imaging with the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device while the grip is held. Medical examination equipment. a first polarizing element that linearly polarizes the pattern light projected from the projector;
In the first imager and the first imager, a second polarizing element that transmits reflected light from the inspection site and has a polarizing axis that is perpendicular to the polarizing axis of the first polarizing element by 90 degrees;
a first wavelength plate disposed to overlap the first polarizing element and converting the patterned light projected from the projector into circularly polarized light or elliptically polarized light;
a second wavelength plate disposed overlapping the second polarizing element and having the same phase difference as the first wavelength plate;
The cervical cancer examination device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it has the following. Cervical cancer according to claim 5, characterized in that the first wave plate and/or the second wave plate are rotatable with respect to each of the overlapping polarizing elements. medical examination equipment.

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