An image processing equipment

Abstract: The present invention relates to an equipment for analyzing the Ca²⁺ concentration in cardiomyocytes, wherein a fluores­ cent reagent is loaded into the cells to cause the carboxyl groups of the intracellular to be coupled with Ca²⁺; the cells are subjected to a stimulative signal; pulse-excited light-­ pulses differing in wavelength are given to the cells during the vertical blanking period following a certain period of time after giving a stimulative signal to cause the cells to generate fluorescent images varying in fluorescence intensity due to the difference in the wavelengths of the pulse-excited light-pulses; the generated images are taken by a high-sensi­ tivity television camera and displayed on a monitor; a plural number of image data are obtained by varying the timing of the stimulating signal, and the images are stored in an image me­ mory; the image data are accessed through a CPU to two-dimen­ sionally analyze the change in the shape of a single cardio­ myocyte due to the contraction and the dynamic change in the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration over time.

Description: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, wherein a sample such as a sample of cardiomyocytes is subjected to a stimulus so that the change in fluorescence with time can be measured at a high time resolution. The European Patent Application EP-A-0 207 485 discloses a fluorometer for measuring a particular fluorescence emanating from a specimen after subjecting the specimen to a light pulse. The fluorescence detection is performed at a timing within a particular time period after introduction of the light pulse. The detected fluorescence from the specimen is scanned to generate signals, which are analysed by enhancing a particular portion of the fluorescence signal of interest. In a conventional image pick up method using a television camera, a sample is subjected to an uninterrupted light emitted by a continuously lit light source lamp; the time resolution for obtaining data cannot be made higher than 1/30 sec.,which is the time required for 1 frame, and thus no higher time resolution is available. No data representing the change with the time corresponding to the duration of the stimulus can be obtained, since the device for giving the stimulus to the sample cannot be synchronized with the television camera. For example the change in Ca 2+ concentration resulting from the contraction of the cardiomyocyte can be measured by the intensity of the fluorescence of the reagent loaded in the cells. However, the process (of the change in the Ca 2+ concentration) cannot be observed in detail by the conventional method using the television camera, since the change of contraction of the heart occurs at a rate in the order of milli-seconds. There is another method using a photomultiplier tube instead of the television camera, wherein the fluorescence at a point within the visual field of the microscope or the fluorescence of many samples put in a cuvette is measured. This method using a photomultiplier enables us to measure the intensity of the fluorescence at a high time resolution, but no two-dimensional analysis of the fluorescence of the sample is possible due to the spot detection. The object of the present invention is to provide an equipment capable of analyzing the change in the fluorescence at a time resolution in the order of a milli-second or less. Another object of the present invention is to provide an equipment capable of analyzing the change in the shape of a single cardiomyocyte due to contraction and dynamic behavior of the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration over time by combining a fluorescence microscope with a television camera. According to the present invention, an image processing apparatus is provided as defined in claim 1. In a preferred embodiment, a fluorescent reagent is loaded into a sample of cardiomyocytes to cause the intracellular carboxyl groups to be bonded to the Ca 2+ ; the external stimulus is given to the cardiomyocyte; the two pulse excitation light-pulses differing in their wavelengths are given to said cardiomyocyte; and the image of the cardiomyocyte is taken by the high-sensitivity television camera. In this system, the pulse light coincides with the blanking period of the television camera; the stimulus timing is set according to the time of the emission of said pulse excitation light-pulses; the television camera is adapted for taking the image of the sample by scanning for at least one frame out of the blanking period, whereas the image will not be taken while the sample is exposed to the pulse excitation light. This image processing equipment enables the timing of the stimulus to be varied according to various requirements in measuring, the plural number of image data to be stored in the memory, said image data to be re-synthesized for observing the change in the image and the change in the shape of a single cardiomyocyte occurring at the rate in the order of a milli-second due to the contraction of the cardiomyocyte and the concurrent dynamic change in the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration to be analyzed two-dimensionally. In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detail. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention relating to an image processing equipment. Fig. 2 is a time chart showing the operations of the equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the sequence of the operations of the equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1, 1 represents the fluorescence microscope, wherein the sample 3 such as that of cardiomyocytes with a fluorescent reagent loaded thereinto is placed on the side of an objective lens 2 of the microscope 1. The pulse-light-up light source 4 is provided for irradiating the sample 3 with pulse excitation light-pulses of single wavelength or of different wavelengths. A high-sensitivity television camera 5 is installed on the output side of the fluorescence microscope 1. A CPU 6 comprising an image processor is connected to the output side of the high-sensitivity television camera 5. This CPU 6 is connected to a keyboard 7 for inputting data for processing, a command for analysis and other data. A color monitor 8 is provided for displaying an image analysis menu and the data. A RAM 9 is provided for temporarily storing image data. A ROM 10 is provided for storing programs for the analysis, for processing, for reading and storing the data. An image memory 11 for storing the image data and a printer 12 are provided for printing the measured data. A timing signal generator 13 is provided for generating a timing signal. The timing signal generator 13 generates a drive signal for the sequential-scanning high-sensitivity television camera 5, the timing signal for writing in the image memory 11, a timing signal for a stimulus generator 15 and a pulse-light-up timing signal for a light source controller 14. The operation of this embodiment having the above-described composition will be explained next in reference to the drawings. Loading the fluorescent reagent into the sample of the cardiomyocytes 3 causes the intracellular, its carboxyl group to be bonded to the Ca 2+ in the cardiomyocytes 3. The cardiomyocytes 3 whereinto the fluorescent reagent is injected is set on the side of the objective lens 2 of the fluorescence microscope 1. The measurement is started at a time t 1 shown in Fig. 2. After starting the measurement, the equipment waits until the first vertical synchronizing signal is detected. When the first vertical synchronizing signal is received at a time t 2 , the timing signal is generated by the timing signal generator 13 at a time t 3 after a predetermined time (A-F) from the time t 2 . The generation of this timing signal causes the stimulus signal to be outputted from the stimulus generating device 15. Here, A represents the period of one vertical synchronizing signal, while F represents the time-interval from t 3 to the next vertical blanking period. The stimulus signal is outputted at the time t 3 . This causes a micro electrode 16 to apply a stimulating current to the cardiomyocytes 3. The timing signal is outputted from the timing signal generator 13 at a time t 4 , which is in the next vertical blanking period and after the predetermined time period F from the time t 3 for the output of the stimulus signal. This causes through the light source controller 14 the pulse excitation light-pulse from the pulse-light-up light source 4 to be projected on the cardiomyocytes 3. Here, it is essential for the pulse excitation light-pulse to occur during the vertical blanking period D, and this enables the stimulus timing signal to be outputted before the predetermined time of output of the pulse excitation light-pulse. In the above-described embodiment, the time t 3 for outputting the stimulus timing signal is set within one frame (c) of (before) the time t 4 for the timing of the pulse excitation light, but said output time t 3 is not limited within said one frame and thus may be set taking more than one frame, that is a plural number of frames (B = nA). The cardiomyocyte 3 is irradiated with the excitation lights having different wavelengths, for example the pulse excitation lights (G) of 340 nm and 360 nm or 340 nm and 380 nm, coming from said pulse-light-up light source 4. This causes the flurescent images differing in the intensity of fluorescence depending on the wavelength of the light to be generated by the cardiomyocyte 3, and these fluorescent images are taken by the high-sensitivity television camera 5. The image signal from said television camera is stored in the image memory 11 through the CPU 6 and displayed on the television monitor 8 or printed by the printer 12. Thus, when the stimulus is given at the time t 3 , the image can be obtained after a certain period of time F or at the time t 4 . That is, the stimulus is given at the time t 3 preceding to the time t 4 for the light-up or light-pulse of the pulse light source, and, after a certain period of time F, the fluorescent image can be obtained during the period C between the time t 5 and the time t 6 by scanning with the television camera 5. The different images can be obtained by varying the time t 3 for the timing of said stimulus. The plural number of image data are stored in the image memory 11, and the stored data are accessed by the CPU 6 for analysis. More particularly, the Ca 2+ condentration is calculated using a calibration graph of the fluorescence ratio and Ca 2+ (concentration). To obtain this calibration graph, known Ca 2+ concentrations of some samples are stored in the ROM 10 in advance, and the intensity of fluorescence of the sample is measured by CPU 6 after processing the sample with the fluorescent reagent and two different pulse excitation light-pulses. In the above-described embodiment, the pulse excitation light is generated during the vertical blanking period D of the frame of 1/30 sec., but, where a faster analysis is required, the pulse excitation light-pulse may be generated during the horizontal blanking period.

Claims: An image processing apparatus for measuring the change in time of a condition of a sample (3) comprising: a camera (5) for observing the sample (3); a pulsed light source (4) for emitting pulsed excitation light at a preset time t 4 ; a timing signal generator (13) for generating timing signals for said camera (5) and said pulsed light source (4); characterized in that said camera (5) is a high-sensitivity television camera and said preset time t 4 of pulsed light emission from said pulsed light source is set to be in the blanking period of the television camera (5); a stimulus generating device (15, 16) is provided for applying a stimulus to the sample (3) at a time t 3 preceding said preset time t 4 of pulsed light emission by a predetermined time period (F), said timing signal generator (13) adapted to generate a timing signal for said stimulus generating device (15, 16); control means (6) are provided for image processing, whereby a plurality of images are taken at varying times t 3 of stimulus application with respect to the preset time t 4 of pulsed light emission and whereby the change in condition of the sample (3) is observed by re-synthesizing the whole image. An image processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the pulsed excitation light from the pulsed light source (4) is emitted during the vertical or the horizontal blanking period (D) of the television camera (5).

Inventors: FUJIWAKE HIDEJI, HIRANO MASAHIKO, MIZUGUCHI YOSHINORI, NAKAGAWA IWAYO, OISHI HIDESHI, SUGIYAMA NORIKAZU, UCHIYAMA SHIGERU, FUJIWAKE, HIDEJI, HIRANO, MASAHIKO, MIZUGUCHI, YOSHINORI, NAKAGAWA, IWAYO, OISHI, HIDESHI, SUGIYAMA, NORIKAZU, UCHIYAMA, SHIGERU
Applicants: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS KK, HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G06T7
IPC codes: G06Q50, G06T1, G01N21, A61B5