Patent Description:
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide in women, and <NUM>% of total women cancer is uterine cancer, and cervical cancer accounts for <NUM> to <NUM>% of the uterine cancer.

Such a cervical cancer has good treatment and prognosis in early detection (precancer stage), but since the survival rate is degraded within five years in progressing to cancer, women need to receive cervical cancer screening at one-year intervals so as to early find the cervical cancer above all.

Currently, in cervical cancer screening, there are treatment methods such as local destruction and surgery therapies, chemical and radiation therapies, and the like as well as diagnosis methods such as cytologic smear, colposcopy, biopsy, and the like. Recently, a self-diagnostic kit and like, which can perform a self-female disease test, have been released.

Representatively, a colposcopy used for screening is a screening method capable of performing biopsy or treatment on suspicious areas while observing the cervix through a specially designed enlarged lens and identifying directly various abnormal symptoms of the cervix with eyes according to a series of diagnostic criteria. In developed countries, there is a high accessibility, but in the case of developing countries such as Asia, South America, and Africa, where about <NUM>% of cervical cancer occurs, there is a problem that the early diagnosis of cervical cancer is difficult due to a tooling problem.

The above-described technical configuration is the background art for helping in the understanding of the present invention, and does not mean a conventional technology widely known in the art to which the present invention pertains.

<CIT> discloses an improved system and methods for enhancing the imaging of cameras included with wireless mobile devices, such as cellular phone or tablets. The imaging system includes a releasable optical attachment for imaging skin surfaces and cavities of the body. The releasable optical attachment comprises optical enhancement elements such as magnifying lenses, illumination diverting elements, and filters. Images can be viewed and analyzed on the mobile device, or transmitted to another location/device for analysis by a person or software. The results can be used to provide diagnosis, or for a variety of other applications including image comparison over time and product recommendations.

The present disclosure is conceived to improve the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a mobile colposcopy system for early diagnosis of cervical cancer capable of early diagnosing cervical cancer using a relatively easy-equipped device such as a smartphone attached with a capturing camera for early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a mobile colposcopy system for early diagnosis of cervical cancer, which includes an insertion unit which is inserted into the vagina of a woman, has a penetrating hole formed in one end coming into contact with the uterus, and is provided with a capturing path communicating with the penetrating hole, a capturing unit which is provided at the other end of the insertion unit and includes an image acquisition unit so as to capture the cervix through the capturing path, and a lighting unit which is provided on the capturing path of the insertion unit and irradiates a lighting to the cervix through the penetrating hole, wherein the insertion unit is formed with an inlet so as to communicate with the capturing path to prevent condensation from occurring on the capturing unit and to circulate air on the capturing path to the outside or inject a test solution during the screening of the cervix, wherein the insertion unit is formed in a tapered shape in which an inner diameter is decreased toward the penetrating hole so that scattering light output from the light source and scattered by an inner wall surface is incident to the cervical tissue.

The lighting unit may include a light source which is provided in the insertion unit to irradiate a lighting on the capturing path; and a light guide which induces the lighting generated in the light source in a direction of the penetrating hole.

The mobile colposcopy system may further include an optical unit which is provided on the capturing path, wherein the optical unit consists of a linear polarizer (LP) which is provided on the capturing path and forms a parallel polarization (P-polarization) of light output from the light source and a <NUM>/4λ retarder (QWP) which is provided behind the linear polarizer based on an output direction of the light on the capturing path to form light passing through the linear polarizer to a left circular polarization.

The capturing unit may hold a smartphone provided with a capturing camera as the image acquisition unit, and support the smartphone so that the capturing camera faces the penetrating hole so that the capturing camera captures the cervix through the penetrating hole.

An insertion space may be provided at the other end of the insertion unit and formed so that the smartphone is inserted, but may be formed with a setting port in which a capturing lens of the capturing camera is set at a position facing the penetrating hole.

The image acquisition unit may be any one of an endoscope camera and a hyperspectral camera.

The penetrating hole may be inclined at a predetermined angle based on a longitudinal center line of the capturing path.

The mobile colposcopy system may further include an extension unit which extends a space in the vagina when the insertion unit is inserted into the vagina.

The extension unit may have an opening so that an end of the insertion unit may be inserted, but include a first extension member and a second extension member which are supported to each other to be rotatable with each other so that be far from the center of the opening; and a plurality of handles which are formed in the extension unit and held by an operator to rotate the extension members.

The insertion unit may have a guide groove extended in a predetermined length along an insertion direction to the vagina, and the extension unit may have a guide protrusion formed on any one of the first extension member and the second extension member so as to be inserted to the guide groove.

The insertion unit may further include a communication unit which communicates with the inlet and is formed in a circumferential direction along an inner circumferential direction of the insertion unit, and at least one ejection pipe which is extended to the penetrating hole side along the capturing path from the communication unit and has an outlet so that external air introduced through the inlet is ejected to an end of the penetrating hole or a test solution is ejected to the penetrating hole side.

According to the present disclosure, the mobile colposcopy system for early diagnosis of cervical cancer can be simply and easily used so as to perform cervical cancer screening using a mobile colposcopy without environmental constraints including hospitals and allow women to early diagnose cervical cancer.

The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Hereinafter, a mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure may have various modifications and various embodiments, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the specification. However, this does not limit the present disclosure to specific exemplary embodiments, and it should be understood that the present disclosure covers all modifications included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. In describing each drawing, like reference numerals were used for like components. With respect to the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are exaggerated for the clarity of the present disclosure.

Terms such as first, second, and the like may be used for describing various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to discriminate one component from the other component. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

The terminology used herein is used for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. A singular form may include a plural form unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context. In the present application, it should be understood that term "including" or "having" indicates that a feature, a number, a step, an operation, a component, a part or the combination thereof described in the specification is present, but does not exclude a possibility of presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof, in advance.

Unless otherwise contrarily defined, all terms including technological or scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art. Terms defined in a generally used dictionary should be interpreted to have the same meaning as the meaning in the context of the related arts, and are not interpreted as an ideal meaning or excessively formal meanings unless otherwise clearly defined in the present application.

<FIG> illustrate a first embodiment of a mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer includes an insertion unit <NUM>, a capturing unit <NUM> and a lighting unit <NUM>.

The insertion unit <NUM> is inserted into the vagina of a woman, has a penetrating hole <NUM> formed at one end coming into contact with the uterus, and is provided with a capturing path <NUM> communicating with the penetrating hole <NUM> therein.

The capturing path <NUM> extends forward and backward, and a rear portion of the insertion unit <NUM> is opened to communicate with the capturing unit <NUM>.

At this time, the insertion unit <NUM> is formed in a tapered shape in which an inner diameter is decreased toward the penetrating hole <NUM> in the capturing unit <NUM>, so that an examiner easily inserts the insertion unit <NUM> into the vagina. Further, in the shape of the tapered insertion unit <NUM>, the inner diameter of the capturing path <NUM> is decreased so that a lighting irradiated from the lighting unit <NUM> is not directly illuminated to be an indirect lighting by scattering light so that light reflected on the surface of the cervical tissue is reduced.

The penetrating hole <NUM> is inclined at a predetermined angle based on a longitudinal center line of the capturing path <NUM>. It is preferable that the examiner screens the cervix by contacting the inclined penetrating hole <NUM> with the cervix.

The penetrating hole <NUM> inclined at the predetermined angle secures the capturing path <NUM> by pushing a cervical tissue <NUM> interfering with the capturing path <NUM> by the inclined portion of the penetrating hole <NUM> when screening the cervix formed differently for each person due to an individual anatomical difference.

Further, the insertion unit <NUM> has an inlet <NUM> formed on an outer circumferential surface to communicate with the capturing path <NUM>.

Air is circulated to the outside through the inlet <NUM> on the capturing path <NUM> to prevent condensation from occurring on the capturing unit <NUM>. When the condensation occurs on the capturing unit <NUM>, air flowing into the inlet <NUM> from the outside may be circulated to be discharged through the penetrating hole <NUM> inclined at the predetermined angle.

The position and the size of the inlet <NUM> are not limited.

The capturing unit <NUM> holds a smartphone <NUM> provided with a capturing camera <NUM> and the capturing unit <NUM> is provided at the rear end of the insertion unit <NUM> to hole the smartphone <NUM> having the capturing camera <NUM>. The capturing unit <NUM> has an insertion space <NUM> formed on the rear surface so that the smartphone <NUM> may be inserted. The insertion space <NUM> is formed to correspond to a cross-sectional area of the smartphone <NUM> so that the smartphone <NUM> is forcibly fitted.

The insertion space <NUM> is formed with a setting port <NUM> in which a capturing lens of the capturing camera <NUM> provided in the smartphone <NUM> may be set at a position facing the penetrating hole <NUM> on the rear surface of the capturing unit <NUM>.

The setting port <NUM> is formed at the position facing the penetrating hole <NUM> and is formed with an area corresponding to the lens of the capturing camera <NUM> so that the lens of the capturing camera <NUM> of the smartphone <NUM> may be inserted.

At this time, the capturing unit <NUM> supports the smartphone <NUM> so that the capturing camera <NUM> faces the penetrating hole <NUM> so that the capturing camera <NUM> may capture the cervix through the penetrating hole <NUM>.

Although not illustrated, the capturing unit <NUM> includes a first adjustment member, a second adjustment member, and a spring member.

When the smartphone <NUM> is inserted in the insertion space <NUM>, the smartphone <NUM> is seated on the first adjustment member, and the second adjustment member can be adjusted with the length and the width by the spring member to fix the smartphone <NUM> seated on the first adjustment member.

The lighting unit <NUM> includes a light source <NUM> and a light guide <NUM>.

The light source <NUM> is provided below the insertion unit <NUM> to irradiate a lighting on the capturing path <NUM>.

The light guide <NUM> is provided inside the insertion unit <NUM> to induce the lighting generated in the light source <NUM> in a direction of the penetrating hole <NUM>.

The light guide <NUM> is provided on an inner wall surface of the insertion unit <NUM> facing the light source <NUM> and applied with a reflection mirror capable of reflecting the light generated from the light source <NUM> to the penetrating hole <NUM> side.

Meanwhile, although not illustrated, since one end is installed in the light source <NUM> and the other end is installed in the insertion unit <NUM>, but installed to face the penetrating hole <NUM>, the light guide <NUM> may also be applied with an optical fiber to be transmitted to the penetrating hole <NUM> by waveguiding the light generated from the light source <NUM>.

At this time, a plurality of optical fibers is provided and one end is bonded to a bundle to be connected to the light source <NUM>. It is preferred that the other ends of the optical fibers are dispersed and inserted to the inside the insertion unit <NUM> to be spaced apart from each other and disposed to face the penetrating hole <NUM>.

When the light emitted from the light source <NUM> is input to one end of the optical fiber, a second optical coupler such as a lens may also be used. The light input to an end of the optical fiber is transmitted to the other end along the optical fiber to be emitted to the penetrating hole <NUM> side.

The insertion unit <NUM> may allow the penetrating hole <NUM> to be in complete contact with the surface of the cervix so as to prevent the introduction of an external lighting such as a fluorescent light. That is, only a desired lighting of the lighting unit <NUM> is irradiated to the cervix so that conditions of the lighting irradiated to the capturing of the cervix are uniform.

As such, an image acquired while the same capturing conditions are always uniformly maintained has an effect so as to reduce the distortion during disease stage analysis using artificial intelligence in the future.

In the first embodiment, the insertion unit <NUM>, the capturing unit <NUM>, and the lighting unit <NUM> may be produced by 3D printing to be more easily manufactured and used.

<FIG> illustrate a mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to a second embodiment.

Elements having the same function as the drawings illustrated above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Referring to <FIG>, the capturing unit <NUM> is provided at the rear end of the insertion unit <NUM> facing the penetrating hole <NUM> so that an endoscope camera facing the penetrating hole <NUM> is applied. The mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer further includes the optical unit <NUM> provided on the capturing path <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a principle of a polarization system of the optical unit <NUM> according to the second embodiment.

The optical unit <NUM> may block reflection light which is reflected on a surface <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> to be introduced to the penetrating hole <NUM> and transmit only a lighting which is reflected to the penetrating hole <NUM> from an inside <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> by passing through the surface <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM>.

The optical unit <NUM> consists of a linear polarizer <NUM> and a <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM>.

The linear polarizer <NUM> is first provided on the capturing path <NUM> and forms a parallel polarization <NUM> of light output from the light source <NUM>.

The <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM> is provided behind the linear polarizer <NUM> based on an output direction of the light on the capturing path to form light passing through the linear polarizer <NUM> to a left circular polarization <NUM>.

Non-polarized light emitted from the light source <NUM> passes through the linear polarizer <NUM> to form a parallel polarization <NUM> and the light with the parallel polarization <NUM> passes through the <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM> to form a left circular polarization <NUM>.

The light regularly reflected on the surface <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> to be returned forms a right circular polarization <NUM> and the light with the right circular polarization <NUM> passes through the <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM> to form a vertical polarization <NUM> and does not pass through the linear polarizer <NUM> so as not to reach the capturing unit <NUM>.

On the other hand, when the light passing through the linear polarizer <NUM> and the <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM> is equally reflected on an inside <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM>, the reflected light first passes through the <NUM>/4λ retarder <NUM> by including information of the inside <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> and passes through the linear polarizer <NUM> to reach the capturing unit <NUM> as the light with the parallel polarization <NUM>.

As a result, the light reflected on the surface <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> does not enter the capturing unit <NUM> and only the remaining light reflected on the inside <NUM> of the cervical tissue <NUM> passes through the capturing unit <NUM>, thereby removing surface reflection interfering with the data analysis and diagnosis.

Meanwhile, <FIG> illustrate a mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to a third embodiment.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the capturing unit <NUM> is provided at the rear end of the insertion unit <NUM> facing the penetrating hole <NUM> and includes a hyperspectral camera <NUM> facing the penetrating hole <NUM> and an optical coupler <NUM> provided between the hyperspectral camera <NUM> and the insertion unit <NUM>.

The optical coupler <NUM> adjusts the focus of the hyperspectral camera <NUM> as a connection part including a lens so that an image of the cervix accurately focuses on an image sensor of the hyperspectral camera <NUM>.

The hyperspectral camera <NUM> acquires many pictures having the same vision with respect to light having different wavelengths. During the screening of the cervix, when acetic acid is applied to the cervix, disordered regions are changed to white color. The reason is that light with any special wavelength is less reflected due to the application of acetic acid and light with any special wavelength is more reflected.

Since a blue-colored object absorbs light with colors other than blue and reflects blue light, our eyes or a camera recognizes the object as blue. If the color is changed to red by a certain operation, it is meant that a degree to be reflected and absorbed for each wavelength is changed. Since existing cameras have only three pixels of RGB, the existing cameras can not accurately analyze a response of the cervix to light with various wavelengths.

However, for example, when there is a hyperspectral camera <NUM> capable of capturing images for <NUM> wavelengths, it is possible to more precisely analyze a color change and obtain more information. On the other hand, it is possible to indirectly measure concentrations of various light absorbers on the cervix using an image for each wavelength of the hyperspectral camera <NUM>. That is, when there are many light absorbers absorbing well light with a specific wavelength, the light with the wavelength is reflected so that the amount returning to the camera is reduced (Beer-Lambert Law). Since an absorption spectrum of the light absorbers mainly distributed to the human body is well known, in the response to light with a plurality of wavelengths, it is possible to measure whether a certain absorber is present at a certain degree of concentration.

Accordingly, the hyperspectral camera <NUM> is used to acquire more disease information than a general camera.

The optical coupler <NUM> may adjust the focus according to a depth of the cervix varied for each person. Further, an end <NUM> of the optical coupler <NUM> may be connected and fixed to the insertion unit <NUM> and the other end <NUM> of the optical coupler <NUM> may also be connected to the hyperspectral camera <NUM> by facing a connection portion <NUM> of the insertion unit <NUM>, thereby easily detaching the camera using a quick coupler.

<FIG> illustrates a mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer in which an extension unit <NUM> is further included in the insertion unit <NUM> further includes the extension unit <NUM> provided in the insertion unit <NUM>.

The extension unit <NUM> extends a space in the vagina when the insertion unit <NUM> is inserted into the vagina, has a hollow so that an end of the insertion unit <NUM> may be inserted, and includes a first extension member <NUM> and a second extension member <NUM>.

The first extension member <NUM> includes a first body <NUM> extended in a predetermined length forward and backward, a first bracket <NUM> extended backward in the second half, and a first handle <NUM> extended in a predetermined length downward from the first bracket <NUM>.

The second extension member <NUM> includes a second body <NUM> extended in a predetermined length forward and backward, a second bracket <NUM> at a rear end to be rotatable on the first bracket <NUM>, and a second handle <NUM> extended in a predetermined length downward from the second bracket <NUM>.

The first handle <NUM> and the second handle <NUM> are held by an operator to rotate the first extension member <NUM> and the second extension member <NUM>.

A guide protrusion <NUM> is formed on an upper end of the first body <NUM>, the insertion unit <NUM> has a guide groove <NUM> extended in a predetermined length along an insertion direction to the vagina, that is, forward and backward, and the guide protrusion <NUM> is inserted to the guide groove <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the guide protrusion <NUM> protrudes upward from an upper surface of the first body <NUM>, but is not limited thereto, and may also be formed on a lower surface of the second body <NUM>.

Accordingly, the first extension member <NUM> and the second extension member <NUM> are supported to each other to be rotatable with each other so that be far from the center of the hollow.

Referring to <FIG>, an operation of the extension unit <NUM> will be described in detail as follow.

When the guide protrusion <NUM> moves toward the penetrating hole <NUM> along the guide groove <NUM>, the extension unit <NUM> is inserted into the vagina earlier than the insertion unit <NUM>, and when the insertion unit <NUM> is inserted into the vagina, the guide protrusion <NUM> moves toward the capturing unit <NUM> along the moving direction of the guide groove <NUM> to capture the cervix.

<FIG> illustrate the inlet <NUM> of the mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the insertion unit <NUM> further includes a communication unit <NUM> and an ejection pipe <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> includes a main pipe <NUM> and an auxiliary pipe <NUM>.

The main pipe <NUM> is extended in a predetermined length to communicate with the inlet <NUM>.

The auxiliary pipe <NUM> is extended from the main pipe <NUM>, but formed in a circumferential direction along an inner circumferential direction of the insertion unit <NUM>.

The ejection pipe <NUM> is extended to the penetrating hole <NUM> side along the capturing path <NUM> from the auxiliary pipe <NUM> and has at least one outlet <NUM> so that external air introduced through the inlet <NUM> is ejected to an end of the penetrating hole <NUM> or a test solution may be ejected to the penetrating hole <NUM> side.

Therefore, the test solution such as acetic acid is injected into the inlet <NUM> to be evenly applied on the cervix.

Referring to <FIG>, a cross-sectional view of the penetrating hole <NUM> with a plurality of ejection pipes <NUM> is illustrated.

In the embodiment, four ejection pipes <NUM> are exemplified, but the number and the position thereof are not limited.

As described above, the mobile colposcopy device <NUM> for early diagnosis of cervical cancer of the present disclosure may simply cervical cancer screening using a mobile colposcopy without environmental constraints including hospitals, thereby more simply allowing women to early diagnose cervical cancer.

Claim 1:
A mobile colposcopy system (<NUM>) for early diagnosis of cervical cancer, comprising:
an insertion unit (<NUM>) which is inserted into the vagina of a woman, has a penetrating hole (<NUM>) formed in one end coming into contact with the uterus, and is provided with a capturing path (<NUM>) communicating with the penetrating hole (<NUM>);
a capturing unit (<NUM>) which is provided at the other end of the insertion unit (<NUM>) and includes an image acquisition unit so as to capture the cervix through the capturing path (<NUM>); and
a lighting unit (<NUM>) which is provided on the capturing path (<NUM>) of the insertion unit (<NUM>) and irradiates a lighting to the cervix through the penetrating hole (<NUM>),
wherein the insertion unit (<NUM>) is formed with an inlet (<NUM>) so as to communicate with the capturing path (<NUM>) to prevent condensation from occurring on the capturing unit (<NUM>) and to circulate air on the capturing path (<NUM>) to the outside or inject a test solution during the screening of the cervix,
wherein the insertion unit (<NUM>) is formed in a tapered shape in which an inner diameter is decreased toward the penetrating hole (<NUM>) so that scattering light output from the light source (<NUM>) and scattered by an inner wall surface is incident to the cervical tissue.