Examination apparatus, method for controlling examination apparatus, system, light guide, and scale

[Technical Problem]To provide an inspection device for inspecting a tissue using reflected light from a tissue, and a control method, a system, a light guide, and a scale of the inspection device.[Solution to Problem]An inspection device 100 of the present invention comprises an imaging device 106 and an inspection module 115 for allowing the imaging device 106 to take a tissue image. The inspection module 115 includes an objective lens 104 for focusing reflected light from a tissue to the imaging device 106; a plurality of LEDs 103a for surrounding the optic axis of the objective lens 104 and exposing light to the tissue; a circular polarization filter 102 comprising polarization state-regulating parts 102a for exposing the light from the LEDs 103a to the tissue directly or as circularly polarized light; and an alignment mechanism 110a for aligning the polarization state-regulating part 102a with the position of the LED 103a.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an inspection device, a control method, system, light guide and scale of the inspection device, and more particularly relates to an inspection device for inspecting a skin, a mucosa, an epithelial cell structure using a reflected light from a skin; and a control method, a system, a light guide and a scale of the inspection device.

BACKGROUND ART

Digital dermoscopes have been conventionally and regularly known as devices and inspection methods that take an enlarged image of pigmentation or the like in a predetermined size of skin with a digital camera. The devices allow for inspecting pigmentation condition of skin tissue through the skin surface to around the dermis with attaching a dermoscope module to a digital camera so as to separately observe respective reflected lights that are reflected on the skin surface and after reaching the dermis. Such digital dermoscopes that have been proposed also include a system that enables to separately observe lights reflected from the skin surface and the inner dermis using a polarization filter.

Dermoscopes have been also used as means of observing pigmentation of skin (e.g., moles) or other lesion such as squamous carcinoma and melanoma to diagnose cancer. In such cases, a dermoscope is configured by attaching a dermoscope module to a camera. In addition, two distinct types of modules, echo gel type module and polarization filter type module, have been employed as dermoscope modules for measuring light reflexes from skin and each has separate characteristics.

An echo gel type module allows for observing the skin surface without using gel, and enables to observe the dermis without producing reflected light on the skin surface by using gel skin surface. On the other hand, a polarization filter module enables to observe reflected light that reaches the dermis by modulating reflected light of the skin surface with a single type of polarization filter without using gel. For example, the specification of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0201846 (Patent Document 1) describes a dermoscope for observing skin tissue using a linearly polarized light.

Meanwhile, conventional inspections of pigmentation inside skin have been performed with replacing each module. In conventional cases, a dermoscope must be kept away from the skin upon replacement of the modules, thereby causing positional displacement on the skin to be observed and making the inspection more complicated; this also needs skills for obtaining inspection accuracy.

Furthermore, the conventional dermoscope has required high-intensity light beam for detecting so-called diffuse reflection, which is reflected after passing through the epidermis and reaching the dermal layer, and thus accompanies with an enlarged power supply, an expanded scale of devices, increased weight, and the like, thereby resulting in not good operability. In addition, there has been a problem in that they are not available for medical observation with well distinguishing between direct reflection from the epidermis and diffuse reflection.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[Patent Document 1] The specification of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0201846

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention was achieved in consideration of the problems belonging to the aforementioned conventional technologies, and the present invention allows for skin tissue inspection in the vicinity of the surface which is comparable with use of the conventional echo gel type module and polarization filter module without taking any inspection module apart from the skin, and also directs to provide an inspection device with improved data accuracy, and a control method, system, light guide and scale of the inspection device.

Solution to Problem

More particularly, the present invention provides an inspection device comprising:

an imaging device, and

an inspection module for allowing the imaging device to obtain a tissue image,

wherein the inspection module comprises:

an objective lens for focusing reflected light originated from a tissue to the imaging device,

a plurality of LEDs that surround the optic axis of the objective lens and expose light to the tissue,

a circular polarization filter comprising a polarization state-regulating parts for exposing the light from the LEDs to the tissue directly or as circularly polarized light, and

an alignment mechanism for aligning the polarization state-regulating parts with the position of the LEDs.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The present invention prevents image displacement of a lesion in a skin, a mucosa, an epithelial cell structure, and the like due to displacement of an inspection position by module replacement, and provides highly-accurate and efficient diagnoses. Furthermore, the present invention enables to digitally store a single image as a patient name, an affected part, and a dermoscope image, and provides highly-reliable inspections without misidentification of patients, affected parts, and images.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with referring to embodiments; however, the present invention shall not be limited to the embodiments below.FIG. 1shows a schematic diagram of an inspection device100of the present embodiment. The inspection device100of the present embodiment may be employed as a so-called digital dermoscope, and may include and be configured with an imaging device106such as a digital camera, and an inspection module115. The imaging device106and the inspection module115may be connected via an adapter107, and in operation, the imaging device106and the inspection module115may be integrated and allow to be handled by a physician. The inspection module115may comprise a housing115aformed with an appropriate cone angle, and contain a variety of components in the housing115a, which provides appropriate stiffness with the inspection module115as well as allows for fixation of a battery package114and the like.

The imaging device106may preferably use a digital camera, but this is not intended to exclude the use of a conventional film camera. The imaging device106may be equipped with a lens optics system105and an image sensor120such as a CCD or CMOS array or a film, and may preferably have a videography function in addition to a still imaging function. In addition, the imaging device106may be connected to an information-processing device such as a personal computer by a wired connection such as USB and HDMI or a communication protocol such as Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, and 5G, and may be allowed to send a still image and/or a video image obtained to the information-processing device to record it remotely.

The inspection module115may be constituted to a nearly truncated corn shape, and may include and be configured with an LED holder103, a circular polarization filter102with polarization state-regulating parts102a, and a protection member101. The LED holder103may be equipped with LEDs103aand may be supplied direct-current power from a battery (two 1.5 V cells in the embodiment) retained in a battery package114, and may expose light to a tissue such as a skin, a mucosa, and an epithelial cell structure. Hereinafter the embodiment will generally refer to a part of the human body optically recognizable from outside of the human body, such as a skin, a mucosa, and an epithelial cell structure as a tissue.

The protection member101may be formed with glass, clear plastic, or other optically transparent material, and may provide a dustproof function as well as prevent gel or the like, which is applied when inspecting a tissue, from penetrating into the inspection module115. It may also assist the inspection module115to smoothly move on the tissue.

Although the LEDs103amay be used in any wave length range and luminance already known, white LEDs may preferably be employed in view of observing and imaging flesh color of a tissue such as a skin under the same environment as the normal indoor color temperature. For example, the white LEDs may exemplarily be NSDN510HS-K1 (level b2) manufactured by Nichia Corporation, and those with a color temperature of (X, Y (0, 31, 3.1)) and a Planck color temperature of approximately 6000° C. may be employed.

Meanwhile, in case of no use of white LEDs, RGB colored LEDs may be used, and in such case, the LEDs with peak wave length of 370 nm (violet), 470 nm (blue), 500 nm (yellow), 535 nm (apricot), 570 nm (orange), 630 nm (red), and the like within their wave lengths may be suitably combined to provide a color temperature of approximately 6000° C.

The circular polarization filter102, in the embodiment, may provide a light isolator function as well as the polarization state-regulating parts102a. The polarization state-regulating parts102ain the embodiment may be configured as rounded apertures (with diameters of 5.5 mm-6.5 mm) formed at given intervals in a circumferential direction of the circular polarization filter102, allowing to provide a mode that exposes light from the LEDs103aas non-polarized light to a tissue (hereinafter referred to as a direct mode), and a polarization mode that exposes light from the LEDs103aas circularly polarized light.

The circular polarization filter102used in the embodiment may be a general-purpose product for camera optics systems, may have a thickness of 0.28-2.5 mm, and may be made of organic or inorganic material. Furthermore, the polarization state-regulating parts102a, in the present embodiment, may be described as those configured as rounded apertures that forms rounded openings on the circular polarization filter102. However, in other embodiments, instead of the rounded apertures, optical materials such as films with no polarization property and circular polarizing materials may also be alternately jointed to constitute a circle or a polygon such as a square, hexagon and an octagon, and the embodiments are not intended to specific structures as long as they provide similar functions.

The light beam from the LEDs103a, in the present embodiment, may be exposed to a tissue at an angle of approximately 16° 42′ against the optical axis. This inclination angle may appropriately suppress irregular reflection from the protection member101, may be set so as not to generate a gradation of luminance in an observation field of view, and may appropriately arranged depending on the position of the inspection module115, the optical configuration of the imaging device106and other factors.

Reflected light from a tissue may pass through the circular polarization filter102, and then may be focused to the lens optics system105by an objective lens104and formed as an image on an image sensor120such ad CCD. The image sensor120may photoelectrically convert the formed image to generate a digital image. The digital image generated may be displayed on a display part mounted on the imaging device106(not shown), and may further be sent to an information-processing device (not shown) so as to be displayed on a display device of the information-processing device asynchronously or synchronously with the display on the imaging device106.

FIG. 2shows a configuration of the protection member101, the circular polarization filter102, and the LED holder103of the present embodiment together with positions of the LEDs103aand the polarization state-regulating parts102a. The protection member101, the circular polarization filter102, and the LED holder103may be configured in a concentric fashion with an optical axis201. The circular polarization filter102may be fixed so as to rotate about the optical axis201, and the LED holder103may be fixed to the housing115aabout the optical axis201. As the circular polarization filter102is rotated about the optical axis201and aligned with the positions of the LEDs103a, a direct mode that directly expose light from the LEDs103amay be set in the embodiment.

On the other hand, as the circular polarization filter102is rotated so as to position the LEDs103aamong the polarization state-regulating parts102a, a polarization mode that exposes circular polarized light to a tissue may be provided. In other word, the embodiment may allow for inspections in a direct mode and polarization mode at the same position without taking the inspection module115apart from the tissue.

FIG. 3shows an embodiment200of the positions of the LEDs103aand the polarization state-regulating parts102afor achieving a direct mode and a polarization mode of the embodiment.FIG. 3(a)shows positions for providing a direct mode, andFIG. 3(b)shows positions for providing a polarization mode. In the direct mode shown inFIG. 3(a), the LEDs103aand the polarization state-regulating part102amay be aligned, and a tissue may be directly exposed with light from LED103a.

Incidentally, the direct mode in the embodiment may be a mode in which light from the LEDs103ais exposed to a tissue as random mixture of linearly polarized light (non-polarized) due to inner scattering. InFIG. 3(a), the reflected light may pass through a hatched region of the circular polarization filter102and may be imaged by the imaging device106.

On the other hand, the polarization mode shown inFIG. 3(b)may be a mode in which, upon rotation of the LED holder103in the direction to the arrowhead A, the positions of the polarization state-regulating parts102ado not overlap with the LEDs103a, i.e., light from the LEDs103ais allowed to pass through the circular polarization filter102so as to be exposed to a tissue as circular polarized light. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 3(b), the light from the LEDs103amay be launched, in a preferable embodiment, into a ¼ wave length plate at θ=45° or θ=−45° of ¼ wave length plate by a polarization plate and be exposed to a tissue after being converted to circular polarized light.

In the polarization mode, the circular polarization filter102may function as a light isolator and block the directly reflected light from the tissue while transmitting other reflected lights. Therefore, the polarization mode may enable to efficiently block the direct reflection from the tissue, and may permit efficiently to detect the light that passes through the tissue surface to the inside of tissue and reflects after diffusion.

In addition, the illustrative embodiments have been described as that the polarization state-regulating parts102amay not polarize light from the LEDs103a, and that other positions may polarize the light from the LEDs103a. However, in contrast to the above, the polarization state-regulating part102amay also be configured to polarize light from the LED103awhile other positions polarize the light from the LED103a, that is to say, for example, a circular polarization filter102in which circular polarizing materials with fan shapes are radially formed may be used to function the fan-shaped parts as polarization state-regulating parts102a. Furthermore, for adjusting a polarization condition, the LED holder103may be moved, or in the alternative embodiment, with the LED holder103kept fixed, the circular polarization filter may be held in a rotatable filter holder to provide rotation of the filter holder.

Moreover, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the direct mode allows the light from the LEDs103ato pass through the circular polarization filter102once in detection, while the alteration mode allows it to pass through the circular polarization filter102once in LED exposure as well as once in detection. Thus, the direct mode will have nearly double detectable amount of light compared to the polarization mode if the LEDs103aare operated at the same power output. Such difference in the amount of light may also be addressed by adjusting a diaphragm of the imaging device106.

However, the manipulation for regulating the diaphragm of the imaging device106may also require an unnecessary action in medical examination by a physician, and additionally, a positional displacement can accidentally occur in an affected part to be imaged. Thus, it may be preferable in the present embodiment that the polarization mode lights all of the LEDs103awhile the direct mode controls lighting to light the half of the LEDs103a. The control of lighting may be performed by regulating an electrical connection between the LED holder103and the housing115adepending on rotation of the LED holder103. Furthermore, a mechanical or software control that provides other similar functions may also be used.

FIG. 4shows the LED holder103, the circular polarization filter102, and rotation and fastening mechanism of the LED holder103of the present embodiment.FIG. 4(a)shows a plane view, andFIG. 4(b)shows a side view. As shown inFIG. 4(a), a knob110amade of magnetic material may be formed in a filter-holding part110. Furthermore, the housing115aof the inspection module115has magnets112and113fixed thereto, which may alterably fix a position of the circular polarization filter102relative to the LEDs103a.

A configuration of the circular polarization filter102and the LED holder103will be now described with referring toFIG. 4(b). The circular polarization filter102may be held with a filter-holding member111to the filter-holding part110rotatably about an optic axis. On the other hand, the LED holder103may be held with the housing115a. Thus, a physician that performs an inspection, may enable to alternatively displace the position of the polarization state-regulating parts102ato the position overlapped with the LEDs103aor the position displaced therefrom by putting his/her finger on the knob110aand rotating the circular polarization filter102.

The LED holder103may also be held inclined toward the optical axis so as to expose light to a tissue at an angle of approximately 16° 45′, and expose lights401and402from the LEDs103ato the tissue. Additionally, in the present embodiment, the distance between the LEDs103aand the protection member101may be approximately 60 mm, although such distance may be altered depending on the configuration of a particular device.

FIG. 5shows a schematic diagram illustrating an exposure optics system with the LEDs103aof the present embodiment. The LEDs103amay expose unpolarized light or circular polarized light to a tissue500. The light after passing through the protection member101may be exposed to the tissue500at an exposure angle of approximately 16° 45′ as mentioned above, and then reflected at the tissue500to generate reflected light.

The reflected light may pass through the circular polarization filter102both in the direct mode and polarization mode, and then reach an objective lens104. The reflected light that reaches the objective lens104may go to a lens optics system105in the imaging device106by the objective lens104to focus image on an image sensor120. The knob110amay be formed on the filter-holding part110, thereby making the relative positioning adjustably between the polarization state-regulating part102aand the LEDs103a.

FIG. 6illustrates a light detection mechanism in the direct mode and the polarization mode of in the present embodiment.FIG. 6(a)shows an exemplary configuration of the circular polarization filter102,FIG. 6(b)shows a light detection mechanism in the polarization mode, andFIG. 6(c)shows a light detection mechanism in the direct mode.

The circular polarization filter102used in the present embodiment may be a commercially-available product for a camera, and in the present embodiment, formation of the polarization state-regulating parts102ain a commercially-available circular polarization filter102may lead to a configuration to permit to alternate between the polarization mode and the direct mode by a rotating operation without taking the inspection device100away from the tissue. The circular polarization filter102may generally include and be configured with a polarizing plate602and a ¼ wave length plate603protected with a protection film601and604. Light from the LEDs103amay be launched from the upper side of the paper to the circular polarization filter102.

In unpolarized light from the LEDs103a, light in the direction of an electric field vector E, e.g., with θ=45°, relative to the optic axis of the ¼ wave length plate603may be polarized with a polarizing plate602, and may pass through a ¼ wave length plate603. The ¼ wave length plate603may generate a phase shift of the electric field vector E of the linearly polarized light by ¼ wave length (π/2) to convert into circular polarized light, and then may transmit it to the bottom side in the drawing.

A light detection mechanism of the present embodiment will be detailed below with referring toFIG. 6(b)andFIG. 6(c). In detection of reflected light, the reflected light may be launched from the bottom side of the paper into the circular polarization filter102, and transmit toward the upper of the paper.FIG. 6(b)shows a light detection mechanism of the polarization mode in the present embodiment. As light from the LEDs103ais launched into the circular polarization filter102, the light in the predetermined polarization direction that has an electric field vector E, e.g., with θ=45° relative to the optic axis of the ¼ wave length plate603, may be selectively transmitted with the polarizing plate602, may pass through the ¼ wave length plate603, and may be exposed to a tissue610as circularly polarized light.

The tissue610may reflect light on its surface, but most of the exposed light may enter into the epidermis, and generate diffuse reflection scattered in the tissue. At the time, in the light directly reflected at the surface of the tissue610, the direction of the circular polarized light may be inverted, for example, the right-handed circularly polarized light may be reflected as the left-handed circularly polarized light as illustrated. This reflected light may be launched into a ¼ wave length plate in the circular polarization filter102.

In this case, the light beam that passes through the ¼ wave length plate603may be converted to linearly polarized light with θ=−45°, and thus may be reflected and not detected due to a function of the polarization plate602in the circular polarization filter102. In other words, the circular polarization filter102may function as a light isolator for directly reflected light in the embodiment.

The right-handed circularly polarized light that passes thorough inside of the tissue may reach the circular polarization filter102as an unpolarized state with mixture of right-handed circularly (elliptically) polarized light and left-handed circularly (elliptically) polarized light due to irregular reflection. The ¼ wave length plate603may, in the reflected light in such state, convert both of the right-handed circularly polarized light and right-handed elliptically polarized light into linearly polarized light regardless of phase φ relative to the direction of the light. The polarization plate602in the circular polarization filter102may transmit both right-handed circularly polarized light and right-handed elliptically polarized light, as long as they may be converted to linearly polarized light with θ=45° relative to the optic axis by the ¼ wave length plate603.

Therefore, the polarization mode may efficiently reduce the impact of the surface reflection, and allow for an efficient measurement of reflection from inside of the tissue. In addition, unlike a linearly polarized light filter in a crossed arrangement, the ¼ wave length plate603may permit even reflected light of elliptically polarized light, in spite of resulting in difference in transmittance, to pass through the circular polarization filter102. Thus, the intensity of reflected light in the polarization mode may be much improved compared to the use of the crossed arrangement up to approximately 1000 fold. This may enable the inspection device100used in the embodiment to operate with low illuminance, i.e., relatively low electric power, and may provide miniaturized device.

On the other hand, in the direct mode, the light from LEDs103amay be exposed to the tissue610with substantially keeping unpolarized. In such case, even if the reflected light from the tissue surface reflects at this case, the direction of the electric field vector E may be substantially maintained, and the surface reflected light may also be allowed to pass through the ¼ wave length plate603and the polarizing plate602. Meanwhile, since the reflected lights reflected inside the tissue may have been reflected with the substantially unpolarized condition due to irregular reflection inside the tissue, the ¼ wave length plate603and the polarizing plate602may pass the polarized reflected light which is able to pass thorough the polarizing plate602placed at θ=45°, among the reflected lights.

In other words, the direct mode may pass both surface reflection and diffuse reflection through the circular polarization filter102without any substantial isolation. Incidentally, the reflected light from direct reflection may be reflected toward the objective lens104much more efficiently than that from diffuse reflection. By contrast, the diffuse reflection may be dispersed in its direction due to irregular reflection inside the epidermis and may decrease in reflectance itself toward the objective lens104. Given such reflectance, it is considered that the direct mode may mainly provide observation of direct reflection.

That is to say, the direct mode may facilitate better detection of direct reflection, while the polarization mode may provide more emphatic observation of diffuse reflection. Without wishing the embodiment to be bound to any specific theory, it is inferred that the light detection mechanism illustrated inFIG. 6may be a factor that provides good detection of diffuse reflection in the polarization mode in the present embodiment.

FIG. 7shows a second embodiment of the inspection module115of the embodiment. The second embodiment may be configured with separating the imaging device106from the inspection module115, and may permit a physician to manually operate a more lightweight inspection module115to perform inspection. As a result, it may be possible to reduce elaboration upon operation for an inspector such as a physician.

The inspection module115of the second embodiment may be one in which an eyepiece part710is further added to the inspection module115shown inFIG. 1, and may form the light focused at the objective lens104into nearly parallel light beams at a concave lens711, thereby allowing for direct observation by a physician. In a further embodiment, the configuration may be one in which an optical fiber is connected to the eyepiece part710, an image is sent to the imaging device106remotely installed, and then the image from the inspection module115is confirmed on a liquid crystal display device on the body of the imaging device106or on a display device in an information-processing device by a physician. Thus, the embodiment shown inFIG. 7may enable an inspector such as a physician to pay attention for inspections without forcing to take an unnatural posture.

The embodiment shown inFIG. 7may allow to reduce manual operation to the inspection device100only to the inspection module115, and may improve operability as well as may permit to confirm the images independently of the geometric position of the imaging device106, thereby providing improvement of handleability.

FIG. 8shows a flow chart of a control method of the inspection device100for tissue inspections of the embodiment. A process ofFIG. 8may start at step S800, and may directly expose light from the LEDs103athrough the inspection module115to a tissue at step S801. At step S802, reflected light may be digitally recorded through a circular polarization filter to record a first digital image. At step S803, a polarization state-regulating part may be rotated, and then light from the LEDs103amay be exposed through the circular polarization filter102to the tissue.

At step S804, the reflected light may be digitally recorded through the circular polarization filter102to form a second digital image. At step S805, the first digital image and the second digital image may be registered in association with personal identification information of a patient. In such case, the registration may be performed in the imaging device106itself, or may be directly recorded in an information-processing device connected to the imaging device106. The control method inFIG. 8may then finish at step S806.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 8, observation by a physician or the like may be performed on a liquid crystal display equipped on the imaging device106, and a physician may explain about a taken image on the information-processing device for a patient after the inspection.

FIG. 9shows a flow chart of a control method of the second embodiment of the inspection device100for tissue inspections. A process ofFIG. 9may start at step S900, and may directly expose light from the LEDs103athrough the inspection module115to a tissue at step S901. At step S902, reflected light may be digitally recorded through the circular polarization filter102to record a first digital image. At the same time, the imaging device106may also send the taken image to an information-processing device. At step S807, the image may be displayed on a monitor in the information-processing device, thereby allowing for explanation by a physician simultaneously with the ongoing inspection.

Furthermore, at step S904, the light from the LEDs103amay be exposed through the circular polarization filter102to the tissue. At step S904, the reflected light may be digitally recorded through the circular polarization filter102to form a second digital image. At the same time, the imaging device106may also send the taken image to the information-processing device. At step S908, the image may be displayed on a monitor in the information-processing device, thereby allowing for explanation by a physician simultaneously with the ongoing inspection.

Then, at step S905, the first digital image and the second digital image may be registered in association with personal identification information of a patient. In such case, the registration may be performed in the imaging device106itself, or may be directly recorded in an information-processing device connected to the imaging device106, as similar with the first embodiment. The control method inFIG. 9may then finish at step S906.

The second embodiment may allow a physician to perform inspection as well as to take informed consent from a patient with showing a display device in an information-processing device, and thus may provide medical care with higher patient satisfaction. In addition, a physician may enable to perform inspection apart from the spatial position of the imaging device106using a more enlarged image, thereby also providing improvement of inspection quality.

FIG. 10shows an embodiment of an inspection system1000using the inspection device100of the embodiment. The inspection system1000of the embodiment may include and be configured with the inspection device100of the embodiment, and an information-processing device1010containing factors such as a display device, a keyboard, and a mouse. The information-processing device1010may include and be configured with CPU for executing a program of the embodiment, a memory, and a storage device1020, and may function the information-processing device so as to execute each step of the embodiment.

Incidentally, the connection between the inspection device100and the information-processing device1010may be USB connection or Wi-Fi connection, or may otherwise use wireless LAN connection via IEEE802.11x, as mentioned above. In addition, the connection between the inspection device100and the information-processing device1010may be appropriately modified depending on user needs.

The inspection device100may contact with an affected part1002of a patient1001, the image thereof is, in an illustrative embodiment, displayed on the imaging device106itself as well as on a display device in the information-processing device. The image of the affected part1002displayed on the display device may be enlarged more than that on a liquid crystal display equipped in the imaging device106, thereby providing more clear and highly accurate inspections.

The information-processing device1010may also have the storage device1020such as a hard disk, and may store digital images taken in the direct mode and the polarization mode with linking them to personal information, for example, in database format. According to the embodiment, images plurally generated for at least one patient1001in the direct mode and the polarization mode may be linked to personal identification information of the patient1001and may be recorded as a set of operations, thereby efficiently preventing mistake such as misidentification of diagnosis contents.

As the results, the embodiment may permit attention of a physician not to be devoted for operating an information-processing device but to be directed for diagnosis, thereby providing further improvement of inspection quality.

FIG. 11shows a schematic diagram illustrating a difference of affected part images of the direct mode and the polarization mode of the embodiment. As shown inFIG. 11, a skin tissue in the patient1001may contain a dermis tissue inside epidermis other than a skin surface, which may constitute a tissue. In this structure, a skin disease may possibly not only spread the epidermis part but also reach the subsequent dermis tissue therebelow. Thus, in superficial observation, even if the affected part1002is not visible in a surface observation, as indicated as a site1002a, the affected part1002may occasionally infiltrate deep inside to the dermis tissue, as indicated as a site1002b.

Observation in the direct mode may not provide sufficient separation of reflections from the juxtaepidermal site1002aand the inner site1002b, and may also allow direct reflection from the epidermis to be detected with higher intensity, and thus may not be suitable for observing the diffuse reflection that reaches to dermis with sufficient S/N ratio. Accordingly, although an image involving the epidermal site1002amay be clearly observed, the intradermal site100bmay only be observed with low contrast as shown inFIG. 11(a)or even may not be observed, and furthermore may not be clearly diagnosed for its spread, form, coloring, and erosion and/or exudation associated with cell wall infiltration.

By contrast, in observation of the affected part1002in the polarization mode, direct reflection with stronger intensity may be cut off by light isolator function of the circular polarization filter102as described usingFIG. 6, and reflected light from the site inside the tissue1002bmay be detected. Therefore, an affected part image to be displayed on a display device will clearly show the site inside the tissue1002b, thereby providing further improvement of inspection accuracy.

Additionally, in the embodiment, luminance of the LEDs103amay also be adjusted so as to regulate background illuminance between the direct mode and the polarization mode to make comparative judgement under nearly similar brightness. The adjustment of the luminance may employ, for example, a configuration in which: the knob110amay be coupled to a selector switch, and the direct mode may have e.g., the half of the LEDs103alighting so as to provide low amount of light, while the polarization mode may light all.

In a further embodiment, the inspection module115may also be equipped with a volume for adjusting luminance of the LEDs103aso that background luminance may be comparable depending on characteristics of the specific inspection module115. Moreover, any previously known method available for adjusting luminance of the LEDs103amay be used.

Then, in the present embodiment, the position of the inspection module115may remain unchanged between the direct mode and the polarization mode, thereby allowing to judge the level of infiltration in the affected part without consideration for positional displacement, reducing inspection burden of a physician while providing more highly accurate diagnosis.

FIG. 12shows an embodiment of data to be stored in the storage device1020by the information-processing device1010shown inFIG. 10. In the present embodiment, image data may be generated as a pair from the direct mode and the polarization mode, such as data 1, data 2 . . . in time sequence. These data may also be stored in association with personal identification information of the patient1001as a set at the end of diagnosis without fail. Therefore, a physician will not register data with incorrect association, thereby allowing to prevent misidentification of results and the like. Moreover, imaging dates may also be registered with accurate association, thereby also permitting to improve continuous diagnostic accuracy.

A light guide1300mounted on the inspection device100of the present embodiment will be described below with use ofFIG. 13-FIG. 15.FIG. 13shows a side view of the light guide1300of the present embodiment. The light guide1300of the present embodiment may be mounted on the tip of the inspection module115of the inspection device100to expose LED light to a narrow affected part region, and may lead reflected light reflected from a narrow region of the tissue affected part to of an objective lens of a camera.

FIG. 14shows an exploded view illustrating the light guide1300of the embodiment. It may be configured with a light-guide member1310and an adapter1320. The light-guide member1310may be formed for example, by cutting out optical grade resin material such as polycarbonate resin or PMMA, and may comprise a light guiding part1310athat extends about the center axis, and a base part1310cthat is contiguous to the light guiding part1310afor holding the light-guide member1310to the holder1320. The light guiding part1310amay have optical grade flat surfaces on its tip surface and on a base part surface of the base part1310cso as to avoid scattering as well as undesired attenuation of transmitted light.

The tip of the light guiding part1310amay contact with a region such as a affected tissue part and expose light exposed through the inspection module115to the affected part. The light guiding part1310amay also lead reflected light from the tissue to the objective part of the camera through the polarization filter-holding part.

Moreover, the outer face of the light guiding part1310aand the outer face of the base part1310cmay be finished with frosted glass so as to avoid entry of stray light from outside, and may constituted so as to prevent light beam from outside except for the affected part from entering into the light guiding part1310a.

An adapter1320may be formed as a nearly hollow truncated corn, and the cross-section thereof is shown inFIG. 14. The adapter1320may have the inner shape formed to fit the outer shape of the inspection module115and may be detachably fastened to the inspection module115with frictional force as well as contractile force at the tip of the inspection module.

FIG. 14also shows an inner structure of the adapter1320and a structure of the bottom surface in a side attached with the inspection module115in association with the inner shape of the holder1320. The adapter1320may be formed with a soft material such as white silicone resin and may hold the light-guide member1310at its one end while being mounted on the tip of the truncated corn-shaped inspection module115at the other end, thereby allowing to detachably hold the light-guide member1310with frictional resistance of the material constituting the adapter1320.

The inner surface of the adapter1320may have a thinner part circumferentially formed for reducing frictional resistance at insertion/removal. Furthermore, the end of the adapter1320may have an opening formed for holding the base part1310cof the light-guide member1310, thereby holding the light-guide member1310with elastic force of silicone resin forming the adapter1320.

On the other hand, the larger diameter end of the adapter1320may have a tapered shape attachable to the tip of the truncated corn on the inspection module115, thereby holding the base part1310cof the light-guide member1310to the camera with fastening the base part1310cto be attached closely to the tip part of the polarization filter-holding part.

A configuration of the light guide1300of the present embodiment will be described with use ofFIG. 14. The base part1310cof the light-guide member1310may be inserted into an opening part formed at the smaller diameter side of the adapter1320to hold a notch formed in the base part1310cwith the edge of the opening part at the smaller diameter side of the adapter1320, thereby forming the light guide1300for a camera. The opening at the larger diameter side of the adapter1320may be fixed at the tip of the inspection module115with frictional force.

In the embodiment, the light guiding part1310acentering on the light-guide member1310may be optically transparent, thereby transmit light with little optical loss to the base. On the other hand, frosted glass finish may be provided from the outer face of the light guiding part1310ato the base part1310cof the light-guide member1310so as to avoid entry of stray light from the surroundings into the light guiding part1310a. Thus, this may enable to prevent light beam from outside from entering into the light guiding part1310aof the light-guide member1310. Moreover, the inside of the light guiding part1310atoward the base part1310cmay be optically transparent, thereby allowing to efficiently expose LED light through the light-guide member1310and to further lead the reflected light to the imaging device106.

FIG. 15shows a use aspect of a light guide1330when the light guide1330of the present invention is put on the inspection module115. The light guide1330may be used by mounting on the tip of the inspection module115attached to the imaging device116. In use of light guide1330, the light guiding part1310aat the tip of the light guide1330may be disposed closely so as to contact with a narrow affected part such as a tissue between the fingers, under the arm, on the sole of the foot, inside the oral cavity, and inside the acoustic pore. The imaging device116may allow to take an image of the affected part in a tissue with eliminating stray light from outside.

A scale1600of the present embodiment will be described with usingFIG. 16andFIG. 17. The scale1600of the present embodiment may be mounted on the tip of the inspection module115, and may allow the imaging device116to take a predetermined dimension such as 1 mm scales with an affected part. Thus, a physician who images an affected part with the imaging device116may directly know the size and area of lesion of the affected part using the dimension of scale from the taken image.

The scale1600of the present embodiment will be detailed below with use ofFIG. 16. The scale1600of the present embodiment may have a structure with a scale member1610inserted into the adapter1320, thereby holding the scale1610on the upside level of the adapter1320. The scale member1610may be processed by cutting out plastic material which is optically graded on the top surface and the bottom surface, and may have the bottom surface with, for example, scales with 1 mm intervals by laser engraving. The bottom surface may be formed so as to have a diameter larger than the top surface, thereby providing a shape in which the concave part between the top surface and the bottom surface may be inserted into an opening formed on the upper side of the holder to allow the adapter1320to hold the scale1610.

In the scale member1610, the bottom surface of the scale member1610may have scales1610awith predetermined intervals such as 1 mm engraved with surrounding the field of view, and the scales1610amay be modified in color or transparency relative to regions other than scales1610aso as to provide optical visibility. The color may be, for example, black, but may also be white so long as the transmittance may be modified so as to provide optical recognition.

A constitution of the scale1600of the embodiment will be further detailed with usingFIG. 16. The scale1600may be constructed by inserting the scale member1610into the opening formed on the upper side of the adapter1320and holding the scale member1610on the adapter1620. The diameter of the upper side of the scale member1610may be the nearly same diameter as that of the upper side opening of the adapter1620.

Moreover, the diameter of the bottom side of the scale member1610may be formed slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner flat part of the adapter1620, thereby allowing the scale member1610to have a surface contact with the tip surface of the inspection module115without fail, and to be securely held accurately parallel to a plane formed by the adapter1320. The adapter1320to be used may be that has the same constitution and dimension as described inFIG. 13.

The adapter1320may be formed as a nearly hollow truncated corn, the cross-section of which is shown inFIG. 16.FIG. 16also shows the inner structure of the adapter1320in association with the bottom. The adapter1320may be formed with a soft material such as opaque silicone resin, may hold the scale member1610at its one end while being mounted on the tip of the truncated corn-shaped inspection module115at the other end, thereby allowing to detachably hold the scale member1610with frictional resistance of the material constituting the adapter1320.

The inner surface of the adapter1320may have a thinner part circumferentially formed for reducing frictional resistance at insertion/removal. Furthermore, the end of the adapter1320may have an opening formed for holding the scale member1610, thereby detachably holding the scale member1610with a concave part formed between the upper surface and bottom surface of the scale member1610.

On the other hand, the larger diameter end of the holder1320may have a tapered shape attachable to the tip of the truncated corn shape on the inspection module115, thereby holding the scale part1610to the imaging device116with fastening the scale part1610to be attached closely to the tip part of the inspection module115.

A function of the scale1600of the embodiment will now described. The scale1600may be constructed by inserting the optically colorless, transparent scale member1610into the opaque silicone rubber adapter1620. Upon imaging a tissue affected part, the imaging device116may image the scales1610aof the scale1610with the affected part, thereby allowing a physician to directly obtain the size of the affected part from the image.

FIG. 17shows an embodiment in the case of the scale1600of the embodiment mounted on the inspection device100. The scale1600may be used mounted on the tip part of the inspection module115of the imaging device116. When the scale1600is used, the scale1600may be disposed closely to an affected part. As the imaging device116images an affected part, the scale1610may also enter into the image, thereby allowing for obtaining the size of the affected part from the image. In addition, the scale1600may be detachable from the inspection module115mounted on the imaging device116, and thus may be able to be divided into the scale1610and adapter1320after use and to be sterilized with ethanol or the like.

The light guide1300and the scale1600of the present embodiment may be used with mounted on the inspection module115if needed by a physician or the like, thereby improving availability of the inspection device of the embodiment. Furthermore, the adapter1320may also be used mounted on the tip of the inspection module115without the light-guide member1310or the scale1610mounted thereon in observation of a tissue. The adapter1320mounted on the tip of the inspection module115may allow to reduce pressure to capillary vessels or the like adjacent to an affected part, thereby providing an observation with less change of blood flow.

Although the present invention have been described with reference to the embodiments of the present invention, the invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment, and provides alteration such as another embodiment, addition, modification, and deletion within the scope which may be contemplated by one skilled in the art. Any aspect may fall within the scope of the present invention as long as it provides an action or effect of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the present invention allows for tissue tissue inspection in the vicinity of the surface which is comparable with use of a conventional echo gel type module and polarization filter module without keeping any inspection module away from the tissue, and also enable to provide an inspection device with improved data accuracy, and a control method and system of the inspection device.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST