JPH0789672B2 - 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, a change in a lesion is detected by a structure of an organ mucous membrane (unevenness of folds) and a change in color (coloring, discoloration, etc.). In the case of early stage cancer, for example, lesions were often overlooked because of only subtle changes in the properties of the folds.

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

As described above, in the conventional device, it was not possible to independently perform the structure or color enhancement processing of the organ mucous membrane.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to emphasize only minute changes in structure, emphasize only changes in color, or emphasize both of them to facilitate the discovery of abnormalities such as mucous membranes. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscopic device that can be used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus that can be used for diagnosis by comparing and observing the original image and the processed image.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The first aspect of the present invention is to convert R, G, B images into images of lightness, saturation, and hue and output them to the first display means. Conversion means and image enhancement processing means for independently performing enhancement processing on one or more images of lightness, saturation, and hue, and lightness, saturation, and hue images after the enhancement processing into R, G, and B images. The endoscope device is configured by providing a second converting means for converting and outputting to the second display means.

(Operation) In the present invention, R, G, and B images are converted into images of lightness, saturation, and hue, which are the three attributes of color, and enhancement processing is independently performed on one or more images of this three-layered property. It is possible. R,
The G and B images are color spaces formed for displaying a color image and are not suitable for the emphasis processing operation. However, as in the present invention, three types of color spaces having three color attributes are used. By forming the, it becomes possible to perform emphasis processing that matches human vision. Moreover, since the new color space can be independently emphasized, even when the brightness is emphasized (corresponding to the structure emphasis), the color does not change. Then, a desired color image can be displayed by converting the image after such enhancement processing into R, G, B images again.

Moreover, since the original image and the processed image can be displayed on different display units, comparative observation can be performed.

(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 fixed image sensor CC at the tip
Reference numeral 3 denotes an endoscope scope in which D2 is arranged, and 3 is a TV circuit unit for forming a signal output from the CCD 2 into a color video signal. 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.

Reference numeral 4 is an encoder for converting the color video signal into R, G, B signals, 5 is an A / D converter for converting the R, G, B signals from the encoder 4 into A / D converters, 6R, 6G, 6B Are each R
Image memory for G, G, and B. 12 is each image memory
D / A that converts the digital signals of R, G, B from 6R, 6G, 6B into D / A
Reference numeral 14 is an A converter, and 14 is a display (first display means) for displaying an image based on a signal from the D / A converter 12.

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 14. In this embodiment, by connecting the processed image display unit having the following configuration to the original image display unit, it is possible to independently enhance the structure and color.

The first conversion unit 7, which is the first conversion means, inputs the R, G, B information from each of the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B, and uses this as the three attributes of color, lightness (I) and color. Degree (S), Hue (H)
Is a unit for converting each image of. The relationship between the three attributes of color is as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG.
Is black-and-white information (corresponding quantitatively to luminance information) of the original image and well represents the structure of the wall. Saturation (S) represents the vividness (the degree to which it is diluted with white) of each color of the original image, and hue (H) can represent the wavelength by the hue such as red and blue of the original image. In addition, R, G, B information above
A method for converting to I, S, and H images is well known in the field of color graphics, and one example is the US ACM (The Ass
ociation For Computer Machinery) -SIGGRAPH (Speci
HSI conversion model proposed in 1979 from Al Interest Group on Computer Graphiss).

Reference numeral 20 denotes an image enhancement processing means for independently enhancing the I, S, H images, which is composed of respective image memories 8I, 8S, 8H for I, S, H, an image processing unit 9 and a control console 16. . The control console 16 is provided, for example, in a grip portion of an endoscope and outputs a conversion command to the first conversion unit 7 based on an operator's input, and outputs a command for emphasis processing to the image processing unit. 9 is output. Each of the image memories 8I, 8S, 8H stores the I, S, H images converted by the first conversion unit 7, and then stores the image enhanced by the image processing unit 9. is there. The image processing unit 9 inputs I, S, H images from the image memories 8I, 8S, 8H based on a command from the control console 16 and independently emphasizes each of these images to obtain a processed image. Are stored in the respective image memories 8I, 8S, 8H.

The second conversion unit 10, which is the second conversion means, inputs the I, S, H images after the emphasis processing stored in the image memories 8I, 8S, 8H and converts them into R, G, B images. It is to convert.

Then, as a structure for displaying the R, G, B images formed by the second conversion unit 10, the image memories 11R, 11G, 11B,
A D / A converter 13 and a display (second display means) 15 are provided.

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 unit 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 / D.
After being converted into a digital signal by the converter 5, it is stored in each of the image memories 6R, 6G and 6B. The R, G, B signals stored in the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B are converted into analog signals by the D / A converter 12, and the original image is displayed on the display 14 in color. This enables image diagnosis of the inner wall of the stomach.

<Image enhancement processing example 1> Here, in order to more accurately diagnose the structure of the fine folds of the stomach inner wall, the following image processing is performed.

First, an image processing execution command is output from the control console 16 to the first conversion unit 7 based on the operation input of the operator. Then, the first conversion unit 7 inputs the R, G, B signals from the image memories 6R, 6G, 6B and outputs them by the known (RGB) → (H, S, I) conversion method.
Converts to H, S, I signals and outputs. Then, the H, S, and I images are stored in the image memories 8H, 8S, and 8I, respectively.

On the other hand, when the control console 16 outputs, for example, a structure enhancement command to the image processing unit 9 based on the operator's operation input, the image processing unit 9
Then, for example, the band-pass filter shown in FIG. 3 is applied to the I image stored in the image memory 8I.

The filtered I image is then stored again in the image memory 8I. Then, the unprocessed image memory 8H, 8S
The H, S images and the filtered I image in the image memory 8I are input to the second conversion unit 10 where they are converted into R, G, B images. After that, the R, G, B images are stored in the image memory 11R, 1
After being temporarily stored in 1G and 11B, it is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 13 and displayed as an image on the display 15.

Here, comparing the color image displayed on the display 15 with the color image of the original image displayed on the display 14, the image on the display 15 is banded only for the lightness (I) information in the previous process. Since the pass filter is applied, only the structure of the folds of the inner wall of the stomach is emphasized, and the color tone is an image in which the information of the original image is stored. Therefore, only the structure of the folds can be emphasized without impairing the color tone, and minute changes in the folds can be diagnosed.

<Image Enhancement Processing Example 2> Similarly, the bandpass filter shown in FIG.
It can be applied only to images. In this case, the control console 16 may output a hue emphasis command to the image processing unit 9. Then, in the image processing unit 9, the band pass filter is applied only to the S image in the image memory 8S, and the image displayed on the display 15 becomes an image in which only the spatial change related to the vividness of the color is emphasized. .

As the practicality of such enhancement processing, for example, the gastric mucosa generally exhibits a red color, but among them, it is often observed that the lesion area becomes reddish and reddish, so the above filter processing should be performed. This enhances the diagnostic ability by emphasizing only the reddish part.

Further, in the case where the lesioned part is discolored, it is possible to obtain an image in which the discolored part is emphasized by executing the above filter processing on the hue (S) image.

<Image enhancement processing example 3> Since the image enhancement processing can be performed independently for each of H, S, and I images, only one of the three types of images as in the processing examples 1 and 2 described above can be performed. It is also possible to perform emphasis processing on two or more types of images, not limited to what is executed.

For example, it is possible to perform the filter processing on the I image and the S image in the image memories 8I and 8S, and in this case, the combined result of the images obtained in the above processing examples 1 and 2 is displayed.

<Image enhancement processing example 4> As a modification of the enhancement processing, not only the filtering processing but also various enhancement processing that contributes to the improvement of the diagnostic ability can be adopted. For example, as shown in FIG. It is also useful to perform such a non-linear gain conversion (window processing). In this case, an effect of enhancing the reddish part and the blood vessel image can be expected.

As described above, various examples of the emphasizing process can be considered. The image processing unit 9 may be provided with a processing function for selecting which image is to be executed by the control console 16 and what kind of emphasis process is to be executed for which image.

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

In the above embodiment, the display system for the original image (image memories 6R to 6B, D
In addition to the / A converter 12 and the display 14), a display system for the processed image (image memories 11R to 11B, D / A converter 13 and display 15) is separately provided, but it also serves as one display system. You can also In this case, the original image and the processed image can be switched and displayed, or one screen can be divided into two areas and displayed simultaneously in each area (the first display means and the second display means can be combined).

Also, the image enhancement process is linked with the freeze switch,
When an image for diagnostic purposes is displayed, freeze the image,
Various enhancement processing may be performed on this image.

Note that, as an application example of the present invention, since images of lightness, saturation, and hue, which are the three attributes of color, are obtained by the first conversion means 7,
It is also possible to perform numerical analysis on each of these images and display or record and output the results.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, only the structure or color of an endoscopic color image can be independently enhanced, and the original image and the processed image can be compared and observed. Therefore, it is possible to provide an endoscope apparatus having a high diagnostic ability, which enables easy detection of abnormalities such as mucous membranes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing the relationship of three attributes of color, and FIG. 3 is a bandpass as an example of emphasis processing. Characteristic diagram of filter characteristics, No. 4
The figure is a characteristic diagram of a window characteristic as an example of the emphasis processing. 1 ... Endoscope scope, 2 ... Solid-state image sensor, 7 ... First conversion means, 10 ... Second conversion means, 20 ... Image enhancement processing means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Information obtained from a solid-state image sensor arranged at the insertion tip of an endoscope is converted into R, G, B images,
In the endoscopic device for displaying an endoscope color image on the first display means based on the R, G, B images, the R, G, B images are converted into lightness, saturation, and hue images. First conversion means, image enhancement processing means for independently performing enhancement processing on one or more images of lightness, saturation, and hue, and R, G, B for the lightness, saturation, and hue images after the enhancement processing. An endoscope apparatus comprising: a second conversion unit that converts an image and a second display unit that displays the image.