JPH0741022B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and particularly to an image processing technique thereof.

(Prior Art) In recent years, an endoscope in which a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD is arranged at the tip of an endoscope is developed. This allows, for example, the state of the inner wall of the stomach to be directly displayed as a color TV image on a color cathode ray tube or the like, and is useful for facilitating endoscopic examination and providing a clear image. It is also expected that a new diagnostic function will be improved by processing and displaying the image obtained by this endoscope.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Conventionally, in image diagnosis using an endoscope, changes in lesions are detected by changes in the structure and color of organs and mucous membranes (coloring, discoloration, etc.). In some cases, since only the subtle changes in the folds were observed, changes in the structure could not be recognized by observing only the endoscopic color image, and lesions were often missed.

In this case, if the fine structure of the folds can be emphasized and displayed, the abnormality can be easily found, but the endoscopic image is usually represented by image information consisting of R, G, B components obtained from a color camera. Therefore, if an image composed of R, G, and B is subjected to, for example, structure enhancement, there is a problem that the color also changes.

As described above, in the conventional device, the emphasis processing cannot be independently performed only on the structure of the organ mucous membrane.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus capable of observing a subtle property change in the structure of an imaging site and contributing to early detection of a lesion.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving Problems) (Means for Solving Problems) The present invention relates to color imaging information obtained by a solid-state imaging device arranged at the insertion tip of an endoscope. In an endoscopic device that displays an endoscopic color image based on, a lightness image forming unit that forms a lightness image based on the color imaging information,
And a display unit for displaying the brightness image.

(Operation) In the present invention, the lightness image is formed based on the color image pickup information obtained by the solid-state image pickup device. This lightness image is a monochrome gray-scale image that well reflects the structure of the imaging region. Therefore, by displaying this lightness image, it is possible to observe subtle changes in the structure of the imaging site, and by comparing the lightness image and the endoscopic color image, it will contribute greatly to early detection of lesions. You can

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on illustrated examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a solid-state image sensor CC at the tip.
Reference numeral 3 denotes an endoscope in which D2 is arranged, and 3 forms a signal output (imaging information) from the CCD 2 into a color video signal.
It is a TV circuit section. When generating a color video signal, a so-called frame-sequential method in which R, G, and B lights with different wavelengths are sequentially imaged on the CCD2, or a mosaic filter is formed on the CCD2 to simultaneously perform R, G, and B Any so-called dot-sequential method for obtaining information may be adopted.

4 is an encoder for converting the color video signal into R, G, B signals, 5 is an A / D converter for A / D converting the R, G, B signals from this encoder 4, 6R, 6G, 6B are For R and G respectively
And B image memory. 7 is each image memory 6R, 6
A D / A converter for D / A converting the R, G, B digital signals from G, 6B, and a display 8 for displaying an image based on the signal from the D / A converter 7.

The above-described configuration is a conventional unit for displaying an original image in which the original image obtained by the endoscope is R, G, B converted and displayed on the display 8. In the present embodiment, a processed image display unit having the following configuration is connected to the original image display unit to display a brightness image (black and white image) in which only the structure of the diagnosis site is emphasized.

An image processing unit 10 is composed of an image conversion unit 11 as a lightness image forming means, an image enhancement processing unit 12 as an image enhancement processing means, and a control console 13.

The image conversion unit 11 is a unit for inputting R, G, B information from the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B and converting it into a lightness (I) image which is one of the three attributes of color based on this information. Is. Here, the lightness (I) is black-and-white information (corresponding quantitatively to luminance information) of the original image, which is an image well representing the structure of the wall. Further, as an example of the method of forming the brightness (I) from the R, G, B information, the arithmetic expression of I = 0.2988R + 0.5868G + 0.1144B (1) is executed. The control console 13
Is provided, for example, in the grip portion of the endoscope and outputs a conversion command to the image conversion unit 11 based on an operator's input and outputs a command for image enhancement processing to the image enhancement processing unit 12. Is. The above commands may be issued after the image freeze switch (not shown) provided on the control console 13 is pressed to stop the color image displayed on the display 8. Based on a command from the control console 13, the image enhancement processing unit 12 performs enhancement processing, such as bandpass filtering, on the brightness (I) image from the image conversion unit 11.

Then, an image memory 14, a D / A converter 15 and a display 16 are provided as display means for displaying the enhanced brightness (I) image.

The operation of the apparatus configured as above will be described.

First, the endoscope 1 is inserted into a body cavity of a patient, illumination light is applied to, for example, the stomach inner wall, and the reflected light is detected by the CCD 2 and converted into an electric signal. The TV circuit section 3 forms this into a standard video signal, for example, an NTSC signal. This NTSC signal is converted into R, G, B signals by the encoder 4, and each is A
After being converted into a digital signal by the / D converter 5, it is stored in each image memory 6R, 6G, 6B. The R, G, B signals stored in the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B are converted into analog signals by the D / A converter 7, and the original image is displayed on the display 8 in color. This enables image diagnosis of the inner wall of the stomach.

Here, in order to more accurately diagnose the structure of the fine folds of the inner wall of the stomach, the following image processing is performed.

First, the operator depresses the freeze switch on the control console 13 to freeze the image displayed on the display 8 and specify the processed image. Then, based on the operator's operation input, the control console 13
An image processing execution command is output to the image conversion unit 11. Then, the image conversion unit 11 inputs the R, G, B signals from the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B, and executes the operation of the equation (1) to convert the R, G, B images into the lightness (I ) Convert to image.

Further, a command for structure enhancement is output from the control console 13 to the image enhancement processing unit 12 based on the operator's operation input. Then, the image enhancement processing unit 12 applies the bandpass filter shown in FIG. 2, for example, to the lightness (I) image from the image conversion unit 11.

The filtered brightness image is once stored in the image memory 14, converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 15, and displayed as an image on the display 16 as a black and white grayscale image.

Here, comparing the black and white gray image displayed on the display 16 with the color image of the original image displayed on the display 8, the image on the display 16 is a black and white gray image. It is possible to observe the subtle changes in the properties of folds such as early cancer without overlooking the structure of the above. Moreover, since this black-and-white grayscale image is an enhancement-processed image that has been band-pass filtered by the image enhancement processing unit 12, it is possible to diagnose the above lesion more accurately.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

The lightness image forming means is not limited to that of the above embodiment,
Various means for forming a brightness image based on at least the color image pickup information from the solid-state image pickup element 2 can be adopted. In the image conversion unit 11 in the above embodiment, R, G,
Although the formula (1) is executed from the B signal to form the lightness image, in the case of the method of displaying the endoscope color image based on the TV signal from the TV circuit 3, for example, the NTSC signal, the lightness image forming means is used. It may be configured so that it is converted into R, G, B signals, and then a lightness image is formed by the equation (1).

Furthermore, as another method of forming a brightness image, the configuration shown in FIG. 3 may be adopted. Conversion unit shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 21 is a unit for converting R, G, B signals into lightness (I), saturation (S) and hue (H). If the input signal is an NTSC signal, it is once R, G, B converted. The above H, S, I conversion may be performed.

A method for converting R, G, B information into the I, S, H images is known in the field of color graphics, and one example thereof is the American ACM (The Association for Computer Machinery) -S.
IGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphi
ss) and the HSI conversion model proposed in 1979.

The H, S, and I images are once stored in the image memories 22, 23, and 24, and thereafter, only the brightness (I) image may be enhanced by the image enhancement processing unit 25 based on a command from the control console 26. At this time, if S image = 0 is input, the color information is not taken into consideration, so that the enhancement process can be performed on the brightness (I) image.

Further, in the above embodiment, the display means 6 of the endoscope color image,
7, 8 and lightness image display means 14, 15, 16 are provided separately, but as shown in FIG. 4, the D / A converter 35 and the display 3 are provided.
It is also possible to share 6 as the display means by switching the selector 34, and to switch and display the both images on the display 36, or to display the images on one screen in a divided manner.

For this purpose, for example, an NTSC signal as color image pickup information from the endoscope is digitally converted by the A / D converter 31, and the original image is stored in the image memory 32. To display this original image, the selector 34 is switched to the A terminal side for display. On the other hand, the brightness image is formed by the image processing unit 10. When only the brightness image is displayed, it is temporarily stored in the memory 33 and then displayed through the B terminal of the selector 34. When displaying both images on one screen of the display 36, the original image and the brightness image are written in the memory 33.
At this time, since it is necessary to reduce both images as data, it is sufficient to thin out the data by the address controller 37, read the data, and write the data in two areas on the memory 33 corresponding to the left and right halves of the display 36, for example. Then, if the B terminal is selected by the selector 34, both images can be divided and displayed on the display 36. The above address control and switching of the selector 36 can be performed based on a command from the system control 38.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, since the brightness image that well reflects the structure of the imaging region is formed and displayed based on the color imaging information from the solid-state imaging device, Since subtle changes in the structure can be observed and the lightness image and the endoscopic color image can be compared, it can greatly contribute to the early detection of the lesion and the diagnostic ability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing bandpass filter characteristics as an example of enhancement processing, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a modified example of an image processing unit. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a modification in which the display means is shared. 1 ... Endoscope scope, 2 ... Solid-state image sensor, 11,21 ... Brightness image forming means, 12,13 ... Image enhancement processing means, 14-16 ... Display means, 25,26 ... Image enhancement Processing means, 34 to 36 ... Display means.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endoscopic device for displaying an endoscopic color image based on color imaging information obtained by a solid-state imaging device arranged at the insertion tip of an endoscope, and a brightness image based on the color imaging information. An endoscope apparatus comprising: a lightness image forming unit that forms a lightness image; and a display unit that displays the lightness image. 2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brightness image is emphasized and displayed on the display means. 3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the display means selectively displays the endoscope color image and the brightness image by switching. apparatus. 4. The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display means displays the endoscope color image and the brightness on a screen in a divided manner. apparatus.