JPS6249063B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a microwave biomeasuring device.

Recently, microwave thermography equipment has been developed that detects microwaves emitted from the body, measures the temperature distribution inside the body based on the detected microwaves, and detects tissue abnormalities, such as cancer tumors, from this temperature distribution. being developed. Conventional microwave thermography devices have a microwave receiver installed outside the body and perform measurements from outside the body. Microwave thermography devices can only measure tissue within a few centimeters from the body surface, so they cannot measure deep tissues, such as visceral tissues such as the stomach and kidneys. On the other hand, in order to diagnose abnormalities in body cavity tissue such as gastric cancer, visual inspection and tissue sampling using an endoscope or measurement of temperature distribution on the surface of the body cavity are performed. However, such endoscopic methods only detect abnormalities on the surface of body cavities, making it difficult to diagnose submucosal malignant tumors and malignant tumors in organs into which an endoscope cannot be inserted. In particular, when measuring the temperature distribution on the body surface using an endoscope, infrared rays with a wavelength of about 10 μm are detected among the electromagnetic waves emitted by the human body. It is difficult to measure the temperature below, and therefore only the upper body surface can be diagnosed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a microwave biomeasuring device capable of diagnosing tissue abnormalities below the surface of a body cavity even within a body cavity.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, according to the microwave biomeasuring device of the present invention, a microwave receiver 12 is provided at the tip of an endoscope 11. This microwave receiver 12 has a microwave cavity 1 as shown in FIG.
3 and an impedance matching element 14 provided in this cavity. A microwave transmission system member such as a coaxial cable or a flexible waveguide 15 is coupled to the impedance matching element 14 .
This flexible waveguide 15 is led out from the endoscope operating section 16 via the flexible tube of the endoscope 11. This lead-out end is connected to the microwave/electrical signal converter 17. The output terminal of this converter 17 is the display 18
connected to. In FIG. 2, the light guide 19 is joined to the illumination window 20 and the image guide 21 is connected to the illumination window 20.
is the light receiving window 2 via the optical system 22 and the prism 23.
4.

In the above embodiment, microwaves emitted from the deep part of the organ 25 in the body cavity are transmitted to the microwave receiver 12.
When entering the microwave cavity 13 , the microwave resonates in the cavity 13 , is impedance matched to the waveguide 15 by the impedance matching element 14 , and is transmitted to the waveguide 15 . Microwave is a waveguide 15
The signal is transmitted to the microwave-to-electrical signal converter 17 via the microwave-to-electrical signal converter 17. The converter 17 converts the microwave into an electrical signal, and this electrical signal is supplied to the display 18. Information corresponding to microwaves is displayed on this display 18. The state of deep tissue within the body cavity is diagnosed from this displayed information.

As explained in the above embodiment, according to the present invention, since a microwave receiver is provided at the tip of the endoscope, abnormalities in tissues deep within internal organs can be detected from within the body cavity, and early detection of gastric cancer, etc. can be made. becomes. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the microwaves received in the microwave cavity are guided to the outside of the endoscope via the waveguide and converted into electrical signals by the microwave-to-electrical signal converter provided outside. Therefore, the structure of the endoscope tip can be simplified, lightened, and made smaller. Moreover, the operability of the electrical system is improved, and it is possible to develop a more complex and highly sensitive electrical processing system. In the above embodiment, the microwave receiver is provided in a side-viewing endoscope, but it may also be provided in a direct-viewing endoscope, as shown in FIG. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the microwave receiver is substantially the same as that of FIG. 2, so the same reference numerals are given and the explanation thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, although the microwave/electrical signal converter is provided separately from the endoscope, it may be attached to the operating section of the endoscope as shown in FIG. Further, by providing a lid at the entrance of the microwave cavity, it is possible to prevent part of the organ or mucus from entering the microwave cavity when the microwave cavity is brought into close contact with an organ. Further, this microwave cavity may be filled with a dielectric material.

In this case, it is necessary to select a dielectric material having a dielectric constant that corresponds to the wavelength of the microwave. Microwaves with a wavelength λ of several cm to 0.1 cm are used, and the longer the wavelength, the more it is possible to detect the state of tissues deep within the body cavity. However, if the wavelength of the microwave is long, the radiation intensity of the microwave is weak, making it difficult to detect. However, recently, highly sensitive microwave radiometers have been developed, making it possible to detect even microwaves with weak radiation intensity.

FIG. 5 shows a microwave radiometer, which corresponds to the microwave/electrical signal converter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. According to this microwave radiometer, a waveguide 15 of an endoscope is coupled to a solenoid switch 30. The solenoid switch 30 also has a matching load 3 stored in a constant temperature bath 31.
Connected to 2. The solenoid switch 30 compares the microwave from the waveguide 15 with the output of the matched load 32, and switches the solenoid switch 30 at a predetermined frequency.
is switched and the microwave is transferred to the directional coupler 34 via the isolator 33. The isolator 33 is a type of attenuator with a large attenuation rate in the reverse direction, and the microwave passing through the isolator 33 is combined with the output from the gain calibrator 36 via the attenuator 35 in the directional coupler 34. Ru. The gain calibrator 36 is constituted by a noise diode, for example, and generates a signal equal to a predetermined temperature increase at the output end of the waveguide 15.
In the directional coupler 35, the signal waves in the opposite direction are removed and only the signal waves in the positive direction are combined and sent to the digital switch 37. This Datesuke Switch 3
7 is driven by a switch driver 41 which receives an output from a matched load 39 via an isolator 38 and is controlled by an output signal from a signal generator 40. The input signal is modulated or switched in the Dietzke switch 37, and only the main signal is extracted from the noise signal and supplied to the RF amplifier 42. The output of the RF amplifier 42 is mixed with a signal from a local oscillator 43 in a mixer 44 and supplied to an IF amplifier 45. The output of the IF amplifier 45 is demodulated by a crystal detector 45 and supplied to a synchroscope 47. The synchroscope 47 displays information contained in the demodulated signal, that is, the microwave, in synchronization with the signal from the signal generator 40. still,
This synchroscope 47 corresponds to the display 18 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As described above, according to the present invention, by combining an endoscope and a microwave biomeasuring device, it is possible to measure the temperature of tissues deeper than conventional infrared thermography.
It becomes possible to diagnose abnormalities in deep tissue that do not appear on the inner surface of a body cavity, such as cancerous malignant tumors or cancerous malignant tumors in organs into which an endoscope cannot be inserted. Further, according to the present invention, the microwave receiver is provided at the tip of the endoscope, and the conversion section for converting microwaves into electrical signals is provided at the endoscope operation section or outside the endoscope. The structure of the part is simplified and therefore smaller.
It becomes possible to reduce the weight. Further, according to the present invention, a microwave radiometer using advanced microwave technology such as superheterodyne detection is used, so that highly sensitive detection or complex signal processing is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view of an endoscope using a microwave biomeasuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end of the endoscope, and Fig. 3 is a distal end of a direct-viewing endoscope. FIG. 4 is a side view of an endoscope using a microwave biomeasuring device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram of a microwave radiometer. 11... Endoscope, 12... Microwave receiver, 13
...Microwave cavity, 14...Impedance matching element, 16...Microwave/electrical signal converter, 18
...Indicator, 15...Flexible waveguide.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A microwave receiving cavity provided in the endoscope insertion section, an impedance matching element provided in this cavity, and an endoscope flexible tube coupled to the impedance matching element. A microwave transmission system member is provided at the lead-out end of the microwave transmission system member to convert the microwave transmitted through the microwave transmission system member into an electrical signal. A microwave biomeasuring device for an endoscope, comprising: a microwave/electrical signal converting means; and a display means connected to the microwave/electrical signal converting means and displaying microwave information. 2. The endoscopic microwave biomeasuring device according to claim 1, wherein the microwave/electrical signal conversion means is provided in the endoscope operation section. 3. The endoscope microwave biomeasuring device according to claim 1, wherein the microwave/electrical signal conversion means is connected to the tip of a microwave transmission system member led out from the endoscope operation section. .