Patent ID: 8591402

Claim:
An endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope having an insertion part, the insertion part having a distal end part having a distal end surface, the insertion part having a pass-through port through which an elongated probe can pass and further having a gas suction port configured to suck gas from the distal end surface of the insertion part, the probe passing through the pass-through port so as to protrude from the distal end surface and acquire data of a region to be measured in a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of the probe, and a flexible endoscope hood connected to the distal end part of said endoscope and including: an extended section that extends from the distal end part of the insertion part of the endoscope, said extended section having an opening portion that includes an opening formed in a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of the insertion part, and; a flexible hood part positioned between the opening portion and the distal end surface of the insertion part; and a hood attachment part overlapping an outer surface region of the distal end part of the insertion part and attaching the flexible endoscope hood to the insertion part, wherein gas inside of the flexible hood part is sucked from the gas suction port, the flexible hood part is collapsible to conform to an exterior surface of the probe protruding from the distal end surface of the insertion part such that the probe is fixed relative to the region to be measured and the opening is adsorbed to the region to be measured.