Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6516217?dq=6,548,982
Timestamp: 2015-01-31 20:26:15
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Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1']

Patent US6516217 - Fluorescence diagnosis system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA fluorescence diagnosis system includes an exciting light projector which projects onto an organic part to be observed exciting light which is in a predetermined wavelength range suitable for exciting intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to emit auto fluorescence. The intensity of the auto fluorescence...http://www.google.com/patents/US6516217?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6516217 - Fluorescence diagnosis systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6516217 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/613,596Publication dateFeb 4, 2003Filing dateJul 10, 2000Priority dateJul 9, 1999Fee statusPaidPublication number09613596, 613596, US 6516217 B1, US 6516217B1, US-B1-6516217, US6516217 B1, US6516217B1InventorsKazuhiro TsujitaOriginal AssigneeFuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (8), Referenced by (10), Classifications (14), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFluorescence diagnosis systemUS 6516217 B1Abstract A fluorescence diagnosis system includes an exciting light projector which projects onto an organic part to be observed exciting light which is in a predetermined wavelength range suitable for exciting intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to emit auto fluorescence. The intensity of the auto fluorescence emitted from the intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to be observed upon excitation by the exciting light is detected. A plurality of characteristic values are obtained from the intensity of the auto. The condition of the organic part to be observed is recognized on the basis of the characteristic values in which the characteristic values comprise an intensity of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence, or a fluorescence yield of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence.
What is claimed is: 1. A fluorescence diagnosis system comprising
an exciting light projecting means which projects light onto an organic part to be observed exciting light which is in a predetermined wavelength range suitable for exciting intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to emit auto fluorescence, a detecting means which detects the intensity of the auto fluorescence emitted from the intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part to be observed upon excitation by the exciting light, a characteristic value obtaining means which obtains a plurality of characteristic values from the intensity of the auto fluorescence detected by the detecting means, and a recognizing means which recognizes the condition of the organic part observed on the basis of the characteristic values, in which the characteristic values comprise an intensity of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence, or a fluorescence yield of the auto fluorescence and a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence. 2. A fluorescence diagnosis system as defined in claim 1 in which the normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence is obtained by dividing the intensity of a short wavelength component of the auto fluorescence by the intensity of the overall auto fluorescence.
projecting an exciting light onto an organic part to be observed, said exciting light suitable to excite said organic part to emit auto fluorescence; detecting an intensity of the auto fluorescence emitted from the intrinsic fluorophore of the organic part upon excitation by the exciting light; obtaining a plurality of characteristic values from the detected intensity of the auto fluorescence, including values for an intensity of the auto fluorescence over a wavelength range, a normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence, and a fluorescence yield of the auto fluorescence; and recognizing the condition of the organic part on the basis of logical operations performed on said intensity of the auto fluorescence over the wavelength range and said normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence, or on the basis of logical operations performed on said fluorescence yield of the auto fluorescence and said normalized value of the intensity of the auto fluorescence. 8. The method of claim 7, in which detecting the intensity of the auto fluorescence, obtaining said values, and recognizing the condition of the organic part are carried out pixel by pixel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescence diagnosis system which can recognize change of the part to be diagnosed at a high accuracy.
The expression �fluorescence yield� means the ratio of the intensity of the exciting light projected onto the organic part to be diagnosed to the intensity of the auto fluorescence emitted from the organic part exposed to the exciting light.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a fluorescence endoscope as a fluorescence diagnosis system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
ZKxy=[{Dxy(1,2)+Dxy(2,1)}/2+Dxy(1,1)+Dxy(2,2)] The normalized fluorescence intensity image data KKxy for the micro-segment Mxy representing the value obtained by dividing the intensity of the fluorescence in the wavelength h2 by the intensity of the overall fluorescence ZKxy is obtained by the following formula.
KKxy=[{Dxy(1,2)+Dxy(2,1)}/2]/[{Dxy(1,2)+Dxy(2,1)}/2+Dxy(1,1)+Dxy(2,2)] By obtaining the value of the fluorescence intensity image data ZKxy and the normalized fluorescence intensity image data KKxy for all the micro-segments (M11, M12, M13, M14 . . . ) in this manner, the fluorescence intensity image data ZK and the normalized fluorescence intensity image data KK are obtained for the fluorescence image signal of the organic part 1. The first characteristic value output means 40 calculates the fluorescence intensity image data ZK on the basis of the image signals stored in the memories 12-1 to 12-3 and outputs calculated fluorescence intensity image data ZK to the recognizing section 500 and the second characteristic value output means 50 calculates the normalized fluorescence intensity image data KK on the basis of the image signals stored in the memories 12-1 to 12-3 and outputs calculated normalized fluorescence intensity image data KK to the recognizing section 500.
The aforesaid two characteristic values, i.e., fluorescence intensity data and normalized fluorescence intensity data, were obtained for each of the 82 points and binary-coded in the manner described above, whereby binary-coded fluorescence intensity data ZN1 and binary-coded normalized fluorescence intensity data KN1 were obtained for each point. Then the logical product of the binary-coded fluorescence intensity data ZN1 and binary-coded normalized fluorescence intensity data KN1 were taken for each point. The logical products for 23 points were 1, that is, the 23 points were determined to be normal. However, actually, 5 of the 23 points were diseased. Accordingly, the recognizing accuracy was {(23−5)/23}�100≈78%. Similarly, the logical sum of the binary-coded fluorescence intensity data ZN1 and binary-coded normalized fluorescence intensity data KN1 were taken for each point. The logical sum for 31 points were 0, that is, the 31 points were determined to be diseased. However, actually, 7 of the 31 points were normal. Accordingly, the recognizing accuracy was {(31−7)/31}�100≈77%.
To the contrast, when the normal tissue was distinguished from the aforesaid 82 points by use of only the normalized fluorescence intensity data (only one characteristic value) as in the conventional system, that is, when the points where the normalized fluorescence intensity data is not smaller than the threshold value KS for the intensity of the normalized intensity of the fluorescence were recognized to be normal, 52 points were determined to be normal. However, actually, 23 of the 52 points were diseased. Accordingly, the recognizing accuracy was {(52−23)/52}�100≈55%.
When normal tissues are to be recognized on the basis of both the intensity of fluorescence and the normalized intensity of fluorescence, the points common to the points determined to be normal by comparison of the intensity of fluorescence and the threshold value ZS and those determined to be normal by comparison of the normalized intensity of fluorescence and the threshold value KS, that is, points 1, 9 and 10, are determined to be normal. However, since point 10 has been known to be diseased, determination for one point out of three points is erroneous. Accordingly, the recognizing accuracy is {(3−1)/3}�100≈66%. Similarly, when diseased tissues are to be recognized, the points common to the points not determined to be normal by comparison of the intensity of fluorescence and the threshold value ZS and those not determined to be normal by comparison of the normalized intensity of fluorescence and the threshold value KS, that is, points 2, 7 and 8, are determined to be diseased. However, since point 7 has been known to be normal, determination for one point out of three points is erroneous. Accordingly, the recognizing accuracy is {(3−1)/3}�100≈66%.
That is, the value of the fluorescence yield and the value of the normalized intensity of fluorescence can be obtained, for instance, in the following manner. A semiconductor laser emitting an exciting laser beam at about 410 nm and a light source emitting a near infrared beam, such as semiconductor laser, LED or SLD are provided in place of the exciting light source 17 shown in FIG. 1 so that they are driven by the same LD power source and emit pulse beams in synchronization with each other. The exciting laser beam and the near infrared laser beam emitted from the respective lasers are caused to travel along a common optical path to impinge upon the organic part 1 by use of a dichroic mirror or the like. One of the filters Mxy(2,1) and Mxy(1,2) which transmit only light in a wavelength range h2 of each micro-segment Mxy shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B is replaced with a filter which transmits only near infrared light and cuts the fluorescence (will be referred to as �near infrared filter�, hereinbelow). Fluorescence Ke emitted from the organic part 1 upon excitation by the exciting light Le and the infrared light reflected at the organic part 1 are caused to form images on the end face Ki of the fluorescence image optical fiber 26 by the fluorescence image objective lens 4 and the images are propagated through the fluorescence image optical fiber 26 to the other end face Ko and then focused on the light receiving face of the high-sensitive image taking device 10 through the exciting light cut filter 24 and the mosaic filter with the exciting light contained in the fluorescence image removed by the cut filter 24. When intensities of fluorescence Ke or near infrared light Ir passing through the respective filters Mxy(1,1) (transmitting a wavelength range of h1), Mxy(2,1) (transmitting a wavelength range of h2), Mxy(2,2) (transmitting a wavelength range of h3) and Mxy(1,2) (near infrared filter) of one micro-segment Mxy are represented by Kh1, Kh2, Kh3 and Ih4, the fluorescence yield and the normalized intensity if fluorescence for the micro-segment Mxy are obtained according to the following formulae.
fluorescence yield=intensity of the overall fluorescence/intensity of reflected near infrared light=(Kh 1+Kh 2+Kh 3)/Ih 4 normalized intensity=intensity of fluorescence in the wavelength range of h 2/intensity of the overall fluorescence=Kh 2/(Kh 1+Kh 2+Kh 3) The fluorescence yield may be obtained by use of the intensity of exciting light reflected at the organic part 1 in place of the intensity of near infrared light reflected at the organic part 1. In this case, the exciting light cut filter 24 shown in FIG. 1 is removed and the filter Mxy(1,2) of each micro-segment Mxy of the mosaic filter is replaced with a filter which cuts the fluorescence and transmits only light near 410 nm. In this case, the near infrared light source need not be used.
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