Patent ID: 7811229
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electronic endoscope system used for observing living tissues inside a body cavity, comprising: a single imaging device that receives an optical image and outputs an image signal corresponding to the received optical image; an illuminating device having a white light source emitting white light and an excitation light source that emits excitation light having a predetermined wavelength, the living tissues emitting autofluorescence when irradiated with the excitation light, the illuminating device further including a rotary shutter, wherein the rotary shutter and a beam combiner are provided on a movable unit configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a path of the white light such that the rotary shutter does not interfere with the white light, the beam combiner combining both light paths of the white light and the excitation light; an image forming system that forms said optical image of the living tissues illuminated with each of the white light and the excitation light on the imaging device; an illuminating control system that controls the illuminating device such that the white light source and the excitation light source illuminate the living tissues alternately at every predetermined period; an image processing system that receives the image signal outputted by the single imaging device, the image processing system configured to obtain a normal image when the living tissues are illuminated with the white light and a fluorescence image when the living tissues are irradiated with the excitation light; a display device configured to display the normal image and the fluorescence image; and a display control system that controls the display device such that the normal image is displayed in a first displaying area of the display device and the fluorescence image is displayed in a second displaying area, the predetermined period being determined so that the normal image and the fluorescence image appear to be displayed simultaneously as moving images.