Patent ID: 6574502
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: A61B,H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus for displaying a fluorescence image, comprising:i) excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to a region of interest in a living body, the excitation light causing the region of interest to produce intrinsic fluorescence, and ii) image displaying means for acquiring image information in accordance with the intrinsic fluorescence, which is produced from the region of interest when the region of interest is exposed to the excitation light, and displaying the acquired image information, wherein the image displaying means comprises: a) first light intensity detecting means for an entire measurement wavelength region, the first light intensity detecting means detecting a first light intensity of intrinsic fluorescence components of the intrinsic fluorescence, wherein the intrinsic fluorescence components have wavelengths falling within the entire measurement wavelength region, b) second light intensity detecting means for a partial measurement wavelength region, the second light intensity detecting means detecting a second light intensity of intrinsic fluorescence components of the intrinsic fluorescence, wherein the intrinsic fluorescence components have wavelengths falling within either one of a comparatively short wavelength region and a comparatively long wavelength region, and c) display means for displaying a plurality of display colors in accordance with a ratio between the first light intensity detected by the first light intensity detecting means for the entire measurement wavelength region, and the second light intensity detected by the second light intensity detecting means for the partial measurement wavelength region, the display colors being displayed by the utilization of an additive color mixture process, wherein the first light intensity detected by the first light intensity detecting means for the entire measurement wavelength region is displayed as one of the display colors, and the second light intensity detected by the second light intensity detecting means for the partial measurement wavelength region is displayed as the other display colors.