JPS6249062B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a microwave measuring device in a living body cavity that can detect temperature distribution deeper than the inner surface of the body cavity.

Recently, it has been discovered that lesions such as cancers and tumors in living tissues are approximately 1°C hotter than other normal tissues, and a method of detecting lesions by measuring this temperature difference has been proposed. Various proposals have been made.

For example, Special Publication No. 33949, Special Publication No. 33949, Special Publication No. 33949, Special Publication No. 1973-
No. 34356, Special Publication No. 50-22351, Actual Publication No. 49-44310
In this method, far-infrared rays emitted by living tissue are measured to measure the inner surface temperature of the living cavity.

Also, Utility Model No. 49-141687, Special Publication No. 53-11157
In this method, a temperature measurement probe is inserted through an endoscope and the temperature is measured by pressing the probe against the inner surface of the body cavity. In addition, Tokko Akira
In No. 54-18515, temperature is measured by pressing a liquid crystal film against the inner surface of a biological cavity and observing the color change of this liquid crystal film.

However, all of these known methods measure the temperature of the inner surface of the body cavity, and cannot detect lesions located under the mucosa. Moreover,
This method had the disadvantage that it could not detect lesions in the pancreas, liver, etc., where it could not be inserted.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to detect the temperature state deeper than the inner surface of the body cavity, and to be able to insert and remove it using the forceps channel of the endoscope. An object of the present invention is to provide a microwave measurement device for inside a living body cavity with excellent operability.

In general, as shown in Figure 1, the radiation spectrum of electromagnetic waves from human tissue spreads over a wide frequency range, and as the absolute temperature rises, the radiation intensity also increases, reaching a maximum near the wavelength λ = 10 μm in the air. As mentioned above, since wavelengths in this wavelength range hardly pass through living tissue, the information obtained from this is limited to the surface of the living body. However, in the microwave range, it penetrates the living tissue.

Therefore, the present invention attempts to detect the temperature state deeper than the inner surface of the body cavity by detecting microwaves.

The present invention will be explained below based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope, which is composed of an operating section 2, a flexible insertion section 3, and a light guide conduit 4. The operation section 2 is provided with an eyepiece section 5, a forceps plug 6, an operation knob 7, and the like. In addition, the insertion section 3 includes an image guide 8 made of an optical fiber bundle;
A light guide (not shown) and a forceps channel 9 are installed inside. One end of the image guide 8 faces the eyepiece section 5, and the other end faces an objective optical system 11 provided at the distal end component 10 of the insertion section 3.
is facing. Further, one end of the light guide is guided through the light guide conduit 4 to a light source device 13 connected thereto by a connector 12,
The other end faces an illumination window (not shown) provided in the tip component 10. Further, one end of the forceps channel 9 is connected to the forceps stopper 6, and the other end is connected to a forceps port 14 provided in the tip component 10.

In addition, 15 is an endoscope 1 configured as described above.
This is a microwave detection probe that can be inserted into and removed from the forceps channel 9 of the device. This microwave detection probe 1
5, a microwave detection device 17 is provided at the tip of a non-conductive flexible tube 16 that can be inserted from the forceps plug 6 into the forceps channel 9 and forceps port 14. This detection device 17 includes a horn 18 that serves as an antenna for receiving microwaves, and a resonator 19 that is connected to the base of the horn 18 and is a cavity that selects only microwaves of a specific frequency.
and a detector 20 that faces the resonator 19 and converts microwaves into electrical signals. The horn 18 is formed into a conical cylindrical shape so that its tip opening is widened, and is configured to receive microwaves generated from the body cavity a. Further, the detector 20 is connected to a connector 2 provided at the proximal end of the flexible tube 16 via a conductive wire 21 inserted through the flexible tube 16.
Connected to 2. Also, this connector 22
is connected to a signal processing device 23 provided outside the endoscope 1, and further, this signal processing device 23 is electrically connected to a display device 24. The signal processing device 23 has an amplifier circuit 25 and a conversion circuit 26 incorporated therein, and receives the electric signal from the detection device 17 and transmits it to the display device 24. This display device 24 is a signal processing device 23
It is activated by a signal from the sensor and displays the detected temperature.

Therefore, when performing microwave measurement inside the living body cavity a, first, the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 is inserted, and its distal end component 10 is directed to the region where microwaves are to be measured. Next, the microwave detection probe 15 is inserted through the forceps stopper 6 of the endoscope 1, passed through the forceps channel 9, and the detection device 17 at the tip is projected from the forceps port 14. When the horn 18 of the detection device 17 is brought into contact with the surface of the biological cavity a, the microwaves generated from the biological cavity a are received by the horn 18. Of the received microwaves, only microwaves of a specific frequency are selected by the resonator 19, and the microwaves are converted into an electrical signal by the detector 20. This electrical signal is input to a signal processing device 23 via a conductive wire 21 and a connector 22, and the measured temperature is displayed on a display device 24 connected thereto. At this time,
If there is a lesion such as cancer or tumor under the mucous membrane of the body cavity a, the lesion is hotter than other normal tissues, and the microwaves generated are stronger and are not displayed on the display device 24. Changes appear in the temperature distribution. Therefore, the temperature distribution displayed on the display device 24 makes it possible to discover a lesion under the mucosa of the body cavity a, that is, a lesion that does not appear on the surface.

Furthermore, since the microwave detection probe 15 can be inserted into and removed from the forceps channel 9 of the endoscope 1, after a lesion in the body cavity a is discovered using the microwave detection probe 15, the forceps channel 9 Remove the microwave detection probe 15 from the
It is also possible to insert a treatment tool or the like using the forceps channel 9 and treat the lesioned area endoscopically.

As explained above, this invention provides a forceps channel of an endoscope with a flexible tube having a microwave detection device at its tip that can be inserted and removed freely, and a flexible tube with a microwave detection device attached to the outside of the endoscope. Since we have installed a display device that operates using electrical signals, by detecting the microwaves generated from the body cavity, we can detect the temperature state deep inside the body cavity, which was previously thought to be impossible. You can discover the underlying lesion. Moreover, since the detection device can be inserted and removed using the endoscope's forceps channel, there is no need to install new equipment in the insertion section of the endoscope. Various effects are achieved in that the parts are not subject to any restrictions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a curve diagram of radiation intensity versus frequency, and FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same enlarged main part. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Endoscope, 9... Forceps channel, 16... Flexible tube, 17... Detection device, 24... Display device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A microwave detection device is provided at the tip of a flexible tube that can be inserted into and removed from the forceps channel of the endoscope, and the microwave detection device is electrically connected to the outside of the endoscope, and the detection device is connected to the endoscope. What is claimed is: 1. A microwave measurement device for a living body cavity, characterized in that it is provided with a display device operated by an electric signal.