JP5242252B2 - Heart observation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heart observation device.

Conventionally, as a method for identifying a lesion in an organ, a fluorescent probe that specifically accumulates in a lesion such as cancer is administered, and excitation light is irradiated under endoscopic observation to detect fluorescence emitted by the fluorescence probe. Observation methods are known.
In addition, it is also known to perform a spectroscopic analysis of a tissue in order to examine a disease (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4).

JP-A-9-248281 JP 10-337274 A JP 2003-35666 A JP 2004-150984 A

  However, when identifying a lesion in the heart, the endoscope cannot be fixed to the lesion because the heart is pulsating, and it is difficult to identify the lesion. There is also a problem that it is difficult to perform spectroscopic analysis of the tissue of the lesioned part.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a heart observation device that can easily identify a lesioned part of a beating heart and easily perform spectral analysis of the tissue. It is an object.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The present invention captures an image of the outer surface of the heart through the pericardium, acquires the image, and transmits near-infrared light through the pericardium within the range of the image acquired by the imaging unit. A spectroscopic probe for detecting near-infrared light returning to the heart after being scattered or reflected by the heart, a spectroscopic analysis unit for analyzing the near-infrared light detected by the spectroscopic probe, and an analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit A storage unit that stores a plurality of images acquired by the imaging unit in association with detection positions of the spectroscopic probe based on a common feature point, and an outer surface of any one heart acquired by the imaging unit And a display unit that synthesizes and displays the analysis results stored in association with the detection positions at positions corresponding to the detection positions stored in the storage unit on the image of To do.

  According to the present invention, the image acquired by imaging the outer surface of the heart by the imaging unit and the analysis result detected by the spectroscopic probe and analyzed by the spectroscopic analysis unit are combined and displayed on the display unit. The analysis result is stored in the storage unit in association with each detection position, and each detection position is set on the basis of a feature point common to a plurality of images, so it is selected from images acquired by the imaging unit. In any one of the images of the heart, it can be distributed and displayed at a position corresponding to the examination position.

  For example, when the imaging unit and the spectral probe are opposed to the outer surface of the heart and fixed on the pericardium, the outer surface of the heart moves relative to the imaging unit and the spectral probe. In this state, if an image of the outer surface of the heart and analysis results at each instant are acquired at appropriate time intervals and stored in association with the storage unit, analysis results at a plurality of locations can be obtained. Images acquired when each analysis result is acquired are different from each other, but by storing the analysis results on the basis of feature points common to a plurality of images, the images are respectively stored at a plurality of detection positions of any one image. The analysis result can be pasted. Further, by shortening the detection time interval, it is possible to increase the number of analysis results to be pasted and display the analysis results in a continuous area. Accordingly, the observer can accurately identify a lesioned part or the like by observing the analysis results at a plurality of locations distributed on the image.

  The present invention also includes an imaging section that includes an insertion section that is inserted into the body, acquires an image of the outer surface of the heart that faces the distal end of the insertion section, and a forceps channel that is provided along the longitudinal direction of the insertion section. The measurement surface is projected and retracted from the distal end of the insertion portion via the forceps channel, the near-infrared light is irradiated to the heart, and the near-infrared light that is scattered or reflected by the heart is detected. A spectroscopic probe, a spectroscopic analysis unit that analyzes near-infrared light detected by the spectroscopic probe, an analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit, and a feature point common to a plurality of images acquired by the imaging unit are used as a reference. A storage unit that associates and stores the detection position of the spectroscopic probe, and a position corresponding to each detection position stored in the storage unit on an image of the outer surface of any one of the hearts acquired by the imaging unit Corresponding to the detected position Only by providing a cardiac observation device and a display unit for displaying by combining analysis results stored.

  According to the present invention, the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope is fixed so as to face the outer surface of the heart, whereby an image of the outer surface of the heart is acquired by the imaging unit, while the spectroscopic probe is inserted into the insertion portion via the forceps channel. Protruding from the tip, irradiating near infrared light with the tip approaching the outer surface of the heart, the analysis result can be obtained by the spectroscopic analysis unit based on the obtained near infrared light, the image and the analysis result Are combined and displayed on the display unit. The analysis result is stored in the storage unit in association with each detection position, and each detection position is set on the basis of a feature point common to a plurality of images, so it is selected from images acquired by the imaging unit. In any one of the images of the heart, it can be distributed and displayed at a position corresponding to the examination position.

In the above invention, the image of the outer surface of the heart displayed on the display unit may be an image taken by the imaging unit in a state where the spectroscopic probe is retracted from the distal end of the insertion unit into the forceps channel. Good.
By doing so, the spectroscopic probe is retracted into the forceps channel, so that the spectroscopic probe is retracted from the image captured by the imaging unit, the dead angle is eliminated, and an image of the entire angle of view of the imaging unit. Can be obtained. Therefore, by pasting the analysis result on the acquired image without a blind spot, it is possible to observe while comparing the state of the outer surface of the heart with the spectroscopic analysis result.

In the above SL invention, the distal end of the insertion portion may be provided with fixing means for fixing the pericardium.
By doing in this way, the front-end | tip of an insertion part can be fixed to the pericardium by the action | operation of a fixing means, and the outer surface of the heart can be moved relatively with respect to the front-end | tip of an insertion part. Accordingly, it is possible to easily synthesize and display a plurality of distributions of analysis results in a still image without moving the distal end of the insertion portion following the movement of the heart.
In the said invention, it is preferable that the analysis result by the said spectroscopic analysis part is the calculated value of the component amount or ratio in the heart tissue which analyzed the near-infrared light detected in the said spectroscopic probe.
In the said invention, it is preferable that the structural component in the said heart tissue contains collagen or a lipid.
In the said invention, it is preferable that the analysis result by the said spectroscopic analysis part is a result of the statistical analysis using chemometrics.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily specify a lesioned part of a beating heart and easily perform spectroscopic analysis of the tissue.

A cardiac observation apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heart observation device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an endoscope 3 having an insertion portion 2 inserted into the body, and a distal end of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 3. A fixing means 4 for fixing to the pericardium A, a spectroscopic probe 6 projected and retracted from the distal end of the insertion portion 2 via a forceps channel 5 provided in the insertion portion 2 along the longitudinal direction, an endoscope 3 and a spectroscopic probe 6, a signal processing unit 7 that processes the signal acquired by 6, and a display unit 8 that displays an image generated by processing by the signal processing unit 7.

  The endoscope 3 is provided with an imaging unit 9 that captures return light that is irradiated with illumination light and returns from the outer surface of the heart B. The imaging unit 9 may be provided at the distal end of the insertion unit 2 or may be photographed on the proximal end side of the insertion unit 2 after being guided through the insertion unit 2 by an image guide fiber or the like (not shown). It may be provided outside the insertion portion 2.

  The fixing means 4 includes a cylindrical suction cap 10 attached to the distal end of the insertion portion 2 and suction means (not shown) that sucks air in the suction cap 10 through a channel 11 provided in the insertion portion 2. ing. The suction cap 10 is made of a flexible material at least at the distal end that is brought into close contact with the pericardium A. The suction means is operated in a state where the tip of the suction cap 10 is in close contact with the pericardium A to suck the air in the suction cap 10, thereby depressurizing the inside of the suction cap 10, and the tip of the insertion portion 2 is placed on the pericardium It can be adsorbed and fixed to the pericardium A in a state of being opposed to A.

The spectroscopic probe 6 is configured to irradiate the heart B with near-infrared light L from the tip surface 6a, and detect the near-infrared light L that is scattered or reflected in the heart B and returned.
The signal processing unit 7 processes an image of the surface of the heart B taken by the imaging unit 9 to generate an image, and an image processing unit 13 processes the image generated by the image generation unit 12. A spectroscopic analysis unit 14 that performs spectral analysis of the near-infrared light L detected by the spectroscopic probe 6, and a storage unit 15 that stores an image generated by the image generation unit 12 and an analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit 14. ing.

The imaging unit 9 and the spectroscopic analysis unit 14 perform imaging of the surface of the heart B and detection of the near-infrared light L at a predetermined time interval.
The spectroscopic probe 6 is projected and retracted from the forceps channel 5 to inspect the tissue of the heart B at a predetermined position within the angle of view of the image acquired by the imaging unit 9.

The image processing unit 13 extracts a feature point P by processing a plurality of images generated by the image generation unit 12. As the feature point P, for example, a high luminance region on the image can be cited.
When a plurality of feature points P are extracted, a feature point P common to the most images is selected from the feature points P. Then, the image processing unit 13 calculates detection position coordinates by the spectral probe 6 in each image with reference to the position of the selected common feature point P.

The storage unit 15 stores the analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit 14 and the detected position coordinates by the spectroscopic probe 6 calculated by the image processing unit 13 in association with each other.
Further, the image processing unit 13 selects one of the images stored in the storage unit 15, combines the analysis result with the selected image, and outputs the result to the display unit 8. .
That is, the image processing unit 13 combines the analysis result with the feature point P existing in the selected image as a clue so that the analysis result is pasted to the detection position coordinate based on the feature point P.

The operation of the heart observation device 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
In order to observe the heart B using the heart observation device 1 according to the present embodiment, the distal end of the insertion portion 2 having the suction cap 10 attached to the distal end is inserted into the body, and the distal end of the suction cap 10 is attached to the pericardium A. Adhere closely. Then, the inside of the suction cap 10 is decompressed by operating the suction means, and the insertion portion 2 is adsorbed and fixed to the pericardium by the suction cap 10.

  In this state, the tip of the spectroscopic probe 6 is protruded from the forceps channel 5 of the insertion portion 2, and the tip surface 6 a of the spectroscopic probe 6 is brought into close contact with the pericardium A. Then, the illumination means (not shown) illuminates the surface of the heart B through the pericardium A, and images the return light from the surface of the heart B by the imaging unit 9, and the near red from the distal end surface 6a of the spectroscopic probe 6. The step of emitting the external light L, making it incident into the heart B, and detecting the near-infrared light L returning after being scattered or reflected in the heart B is performed simultaneously. Imaging of the surface of the heart B and detection by the spectroscopic probe 6 are performed at predetermined time intervals.

  Thereby, a large number of images of the outer surface of the heart B are generated by the image generation unit 12 and stored in the storage unit 15, and the common feature point P in the plurality of images is detected by the image processing unit 13. On the other hand, the spectroscopic analysis unit 14 performs spectroscopic analysis of the near-infrared light L detected simultaneously with the acquisition of each image.

Further, since the position of the spectral probe 6 within the angle of view of each image is fixed, the position coordinate of the spectral probe 6 with the detected feature point P as a reference is used as the detected position coordinate, and the near-proximity detected simultaneously with each image. The spectral analysis results of the infrared light L are associated with each other and stored in the storage unit 15.
In the image processing unit 13, one of the images stored in the storage unit 15 and the spectral analysis result stored in the storage unit 15 are combined.

  That is, in the image processing unit 13, the detected coordinate position stored in the storage unit 15 is associated with the detected coordinate position using the common feature point P in the image stored in the storage unit 15 as a reference. Then, it is synthesized by pasting it to the stored spectral analysis result. As a result of spectroscopic analysis, as a result of statistical analysis such as chemometrics, calculated values such as amounts and ratios of constituent components such as collagen and lipid in the heart tissue can be used.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, by repeating imaging and detection at a time interval Δt, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3E, a plurality of images and the tip position of the spectroscopic probe 6 can be obtained. Spectroscopic analysis results are obtained.
A common feature point P is extracted by the processing of each image, and the above-mentioned spectral analysis result is obtained with the coordinates of the tip position of the spectroscopic probe 6 as relative coordinates (ΔXn, ΔYn) (n is 1 to 4) from the feature point P. And stored in the storage unit 15.

In this state, when any one of the images is selected by the observer or automatically by the image processing unit 13, as shown in FIG. 4, the features included in the image are included in the image. The spectroscopic analysis result is pasted at the position of the relative coordinates (ΔXn, ΔYn) with respect to the point P. For example, the spectral analysis result is displayed in a color corresponding to the luminance (in the figure, the hatching density indicates a difference in color, that is, a difference in the spectral analysis result).
Further, by setting the time interval Δt to be sufficiently small, it is possible to display the spectroscopic analysis result in a specific continuous area in a still image.

  As described above, according to the heart observation device 1 according to the present embodiment, the distal end of the insertion portion 2 is fixed to the pericardium A. There is an advantage that it is not necessary to follow the moving lesion. As a result, the heart B can be easily observed, and the heart B can be observed over a wide range using the pulsation of the heart B.

  Then, since the analysis result is pasted on any one still image selected from the acquired images, the observer does not observe the moving image of the beating heart B, but on the display unit 8. The displayed still image has an advantage that a lesioned part can be easily specified and spectral analysis of the tissue can be easily performed.

  In the present embodiment, using the still image acquired simultaneously with the spectroscopic measurement performed by bringing the spectral probe 6 close to the heart B, the spectral analysis results at a plurality of detection positions are pasted on the still image. However, instead of this, an image acquired with the spectroscopic probe 6 retracted into the forceps channel 5 may be adopted as a still image for display (FIG. 4). By doing in this way, the spectral probe 6 does not exist in an image, but an image without a blind spot can be displayed and observation can be made easier.

In addition, the locus of the detection position that varies due to the pulsation of the heart B is a linear region as shown in FIG. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 5, an enlarged view of the detection area C may be displayed together with the display unit 8.
Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the endoscope 3 having the imaging unit 9 and the spectral probe 6 is used as the insertion unit 2 has been described as an example, but instead the imaging unit 9 and the spectral probe 6 are used. You may decide to use the arbitrary apparatus which has.

It is a block diagram which shows the heart observation apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view explaining the fixing method to the pericardium of the insertion part in the heart observation apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of (a)-(d) image acquired by the heart observation apparatus of FIG. 1, and (e) the example of a spectral analysis result. It is a figure which shows the synthesized image which affixed the spectral analysis result of FIG. 3 on the selected one still image. It is a figure which shows the example of a display which displays the enlarged view of a spectral analysis result collectively.

Explanation of symbols

A Pericardium B Heart L Near-infrared light P Feature point 1 Cardiac observation device 2 Insertion section 3 Endoscope 4 Fixing means 5 Forceps channel 6 Spectroscopic probe 6a Tip surface (measurement surface)
8 Display unit 9 Imaging unit 14 Spectroscopic analysis unit 15 Storage unit

Claims (7)

An imaging unit that captures an image of the outer surface of the heart through the pericardium and acquires the image;
A spectroscopic probe that transmits near-infrared light to the heart through the pericardium within the range of the image acquired by the imaging unit, and detects near-infrared light that is scattered or reflected by the heart and returned,
A spectroscopic analyzer for analyzing near-infrared light detected by the spectroscopic probe;
A storage unit for storing the analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit and the detection position of the spectroscopic probe with reference to a feature point common to a plurality of images acquired by the imaging unit;
Analysis stored in correspondence with each detection position by superimposing it on a position corresponding to each detection position stored in the storage unit on the image of the outer surface of any one heart acquired by the imaging unit An image processing unit for generating a composite image obtained by combining the results ;
A heart observation device comprising: a display unit that displays the composite image . An endoscope comprising an insertion part to be inserted into the body, an imaging part for acquiring an image of the outer surface of the heart facing the distal end of the insertion part, and a forceps channel provided along the longitudinal direction of the insertion part; ,
A spectroscopic probe for detecting the near infrared light that is projected and retracted from the distal end of the insertion portion through the forceps channel, irradiates the heart with near infrared light, and scatters or reflects off the heart;
A spectroscopic analyzer for analyzing near-infrared light detected by the spectroscopic probe;
A storage unit for storing the analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit and the detection position of the spectroscopic probe with reference to a feature point common to a plurality of images acquired by the imaging unit;
Analysis stored in correspondence with each detection position by superimposing it on a position corresponding to each detection position stored in the storage unit on the image of the outer surface of any one heart acquired by the imaging unit An image processing unit for generating a composite image obtained by combining the results ;
A heart observation device comprising: a display unit that displays the composite image .   The heart observation according to claim 2, wherein the image of the outer surface of the heart displayed on the display unit is an image taken by the imaging unit in a state where the spectroscopic probe is retracted from the distal end of the insertion unit into the forceps channel. apparatus.   The heart observation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a fixing unit that fixes a distal end of the insertion portion to the pericardium. The analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit is a calculated value of a component amount or a ratio in a heart tissue obtained by analyzing near infrared light detected by the spectroscopic probe. Heart observation device.   The heart observation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the component in the heart tissue contains collagen or lipid.   The heart observation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the analysis result by the spectroscopic analysis unit is a result of statistical analysis using chemometrics.

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