Method and system for detecting colorimetric abnormalities in vivo

• US 20020177779A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Adler, Doron, Zinaty, Ofra, Glukhovsky, Arkady, Levy, Daphna
• Application Number:
  US10/097,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177779A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02042 Determining blood loss or bleeding, e.g. during a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10068 Endoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30028 Colon; Small intestine
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics

Abstract

A system and method for detection of colorimetric abnormalities within a body lumen includes an image receiver for receiving images from within the body lumen. Also included are a transmitter for transmitting the images to a receiver, and a processor for generating a probability indication of presence of colorimetric abnormalities on comparison of color content of the images and at (east one reference value.

Claims

1. A method for detecting abnormalities in-vivo, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing an image for at least one spectral characteristic; and

creating an abnormality determination based on the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the abnormality determination is a determination of the presence of an abnormality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the abnormality determination is a probability determination of the presence of an abnormality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the image includes at least analyzing the image for at least one spectral characteristic in relation to a reference value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is of a body lumen.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said spectral characteristics include hue values.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one reference value includes a pathology sample.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said pathology sample includes blood.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said abnormality is due to the presence of blood.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said analysis includes comparing images.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein the image is received from an in-vivo camera imager.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the image is received from a capsule.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising deterimining the position of the image.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the abnormality determination is a probability.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein analyzing the image includes at least analyzing the image for at least one spectral characteristic in relation to a reference value.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the image is of a body lumen.

19. The system as in claim 17, wherein said at least one reference value includes a healthy tissue reference value.

20. The system as in claim 17, wherein said at least one reference value includes a pathology sample.

21. The system as in claim 20, wherein said pathology sample includes blood.

22. The system as in claim 15, wherein said abnormality is due to the presence of blood.

23. The system as in claim 15, wherein said analysis includes comparing images.

24. The system as in claim 15 wherein the image is received from an in-vivo camera imager.

25. The system as in claim 15 wherein the image is received from a capsule.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein said step of receiving includes receiving multiple images.

28. A method as in claim 26, wherein said colorimetric parameters include hue.

29. A method as in claim 26, wherein said colorimetric parameters include brightness.

30. A method as in claim 26, wherein said tissue is healthy tissue.

54. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is part of an image stream.

14. A system for detecting abnormalities in-vivo, the system comprising:

an image receiver means for receiving images;

an analysis means for analyzing an image for at least one spectral characteristic and for making an abnormality determination based on the analysis.

15. A system for detecting abnormalities in-vivo, the system comprising:

an image receiver module capable of receiving images;

an analysis module capable of analyzing an image for at least one spectral characteristic and making an abnormality determination based on the analysis.

26. A method for calculation of a reference value for tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least a first image and a second image from within a body lumen;

selecting blocks of pixels within said images based on colorimetric parameters;

averaging said colorimetric parameters of said selected blocks of pixels of said at least first and second images; and

filtering said calorimetric parameters, thereby obtaining a reference value for tissue.

31. A swallowable capsule for detecting colorimetric abnormalities in a gastrointestinal tract, the capsule comprising:

an image-receiver for receiving images from said gastrointestinal tract; and

a processor for generating a probability indication for presence of colorimetric abnormalities by comparing color content of said images to at least one reference value.

32. A capsule as in claim 31, wherein said at least one reference value is a pathology sample.

33. A capsule as in claim 32 wherein said pathology sample includes blood.

34. A capsule as in claim 31, wherein said at least one reference value includes a healthy tissue reference sample.

35. A capsule as in claim 31, wherein said at least one reference value includes a pathology sample.

36. A capsule as in claim 31, wherein said color content includes spectral characteristics.

37. A capsule as in claim 36, wherein said spectral characteristics include hue.

38. A capsule as in claim 36, wherein said spectral characteristics include saturation.

39. A capsule as in claim 36 wherein said spectral characteristics include brightness.

47. A system according to claim 36 wherein said colorimetric abnormality indicates a pathological condition.

48. A system according to claim 37 wherein said pathological condition includes bleeding.

49. A system according to claim 36 wherein said at least one reference value includes a value for healthy tissue.

50. A system according to claim 36 wherein said at least one reference value includes a value for pathological tissue.

51. A system according to claim 36, further comprising a position indicators thereby allowing visualization of a location of said results within said body lumen.

40. An apparatus for determining calorimetric abnormalities within a body lumen, said apparatus comprising:

an image-receiver capable of receiving images from a body lumen;

a spectral analyzer capable of determining color content of said images; and

a processor capable of generating a probability indication for presence of an abnormal condition by comparing said color content to at least one reference value.

41. An apparatus as in claim 40 wherein said processor is configured for real-time processing.

42. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said processor is configured for post-processing.

43. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said pathological condition includes bleeding

44. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said at least one reference value includes a value for healthy tissue.

45. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said at least one reference value includes a value for pathological tissue.

46. A system for detection of a calorimetric abnormality within the gastrointestinal tract, said system comprising:

a swallowable capsule having an in-vivo imager for obtaining images from within said body lumen;

a transmitter capable of transmitting said images to a receiver; and

a processor capable of generating a probability indication of presence of blood based on comparison of color content of said received images and at least one reference value.

52. A method for detecting abnormalities in-vivo, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing an image stream for at least one spectral characteristic;

creating an abnormality determination based on the analysis; and

presenting to a user the abnormality determination.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the abnormality determination is a determination of the probabiltiy of an abnormality.

55. An apparatus for determining colorimetric abnormalities in-vivo, said apparatus comprising:

an image-receiver capable of receiving images; and

a processor capable of analyzing color content of said images, generating a an abnormality indication for the presence of an abnormal condition and presenting to a user an abnormality diagnosis.