Patent ID: 6772003
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
An endoscope apparatus, comprising:a light source device for generating general illuminating light for obtaining a general-light image and polarized image illuminating light having a plurality of wavelength bands for obtaining a polarized-light image; an endoscope having: a light conducting member for conducting the general illuminating light and the polarized image illuminating light, a polarizing member for emitting polarized illuminating light, which is polarized through the light-conducting member, to a subject side; and an image pickup device for outputting respectively a parallel image signal and a vertical image signal captured by using a light component in a polarizing direction parallel to a polarizing direction of the polarizing member and a light component in a polarizing direction perpendicular to the polarizing direction of the polarizing member, in light reflected by the subject side; and an image processing device for performing image processing on at least one of the parallel image signal and the vertical image signal so that a general-light image can be displayed in a display device and for performing image processing on the parallel image signal and the vertical image signal so that a polarized-light image can be displayed in the display device.