Narrow band in-vivo imaging device

• US 20080234548A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Amit, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 9,730,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0625 for multiple fixed illumination angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths

Abstract

An in-vivo imaging device for capturing one or more narrow band images of the gastrointestinal tract, or other body lumens or cavities of a patient, using one or more narrow band illumination sources and an imager having an array of light sensitive elements.

Claims

1. An in vivo imaging device for providing at least first and second images of an in-vivo target area, the in-vivo imaging device comprising:

first and second types of illumination source of light radiation for simultaneously illuminating the target area and giving rise to reflected radiation therefrom, the first and second types of illumination source having differing first and second illumination spectra; and

an imager for simultaneously receiving the radiation reflected from the target area by illumination from the first and second types of illumination source, the imager comprising an array of first and second types of light sensitive elements having differing first and second sensitivity spectra, the first and second types of light sensitive element being responsive to illumination spectra having spectral regions overlapping at least partially with the first and second sensitivity spectra, respectively, the first image being obtained from the first light sensitive elements and the second image being obtained from the second light sensitive elements;

wherein

the first sensitivity spectrum at least partially overlaps the first illumination spectrum by a first area of overlap A11, and the second sensitivity spectrum at least partially overlaps the second illumination spectrum by a second area of overlap A21.

2. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sensitivity spectrum of the first type of light sensitive element partially overlaps the sensitivity spectrum of the second type of light sensitive element.

3. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the first sensitivity spectrum partially overlaps the second illumination spectrum by a third area of overlap A12.

4. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the second sensitivity spectrum partially overlaps the first illumination spectrum by a fourth area of overlap A21.

5. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the first area of overlap A11 is greater or equal to five times the third area of overlap A12.

6. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the second area of overlap A22 is greater or equal to five times the fourth area of overlap A21.

7. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 2, further comprising a third type of illumination source of light radiation for illuminating the target area simultaneously with the first and second types of illumination source and giving rise to reflected radiation therefrom, the third type of illumination source having a third illumination spectrum differing from the first and second illumination spectra, the imager for simultaneously receiving the radiation reflected from the target by illumination from the first, second and third types of illumination source, and the array further comprising a third type of light sensitive element having a third sensitivity spectrum differing from the first and second sensitivity spectra, the third type of light sensitive element being responsive to illumination spectra having spectral regions overlapping at least partially with the third sensitivity spectrum, the third sensitivity spectrum at least partially overlaps the third illumination spectrum by a fifth area of overlap A33 and a third image is obtained from the third light sensitive elements.

8. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the third sensitivity spectrum partially overlaps the second illumination spectrum by a sixth area of overlap A32.

9. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the fifth area of overlap A33 is greater or equal to five times the sixth area of overlap A32.

10. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the array is a planar array.

11. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the array is a mosaic array.

12. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the light sensitive elements are arranged in repeating groups of four.

13. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 12, wherein each group comprises four adjacent light sensitive elements made up of two green light sensitive elements, one red light sensitive element and one blue light sensitive element.

14. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination spectrum of the first type of illumination source has a first illumination full width half maximum (FWHM) and the sensitivity spectrum of the first type of light sensitive element has a first sensitivity FWHM, the first illumination FWHM being less than the first sensitivity FWHM.

15. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination spectrum of the second type of illumination source has a second illumination FWHM and the sensitivity spectrum of the second type of light sensitive element has a second sensitivity FWHM, the second illumination FWHM being less than the second sensitivity FWHM.

16. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a third type of illumination source and the array further comprising a third type of light sensitive element, the third type of illumination source having an illumination spectrum differing from the illumination spectrums of the first and second types of illumination sources, the third type of light sensitive element having an sensitivity spectrum differing from the sensitivity spectrums of the first and second types of light sensitive element, wherein the IS illumination spectrum of the third type of illumination source has a third illumination FWHM and the sensitivity spectrum of the third type of light sensitive element has a third sensitivity FWHM, the third illumination FWHM being less than the third sensitivity FWHM.

17. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination spectrum of the first type of illumination source has a first illumination center wavelength and the sensitivity spectrum of the first type of light sensitive element has a first sensitivity center wavelength, the first illumination center wavelength being less than the first sensitivity center wavelength.

18. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination spectrum of the second type of illumination source has a second illumination center wavelength and the sensitivity spectrum of the second type of light sensitive element has a second sensitivity center wavelength, the second illumination center wavelength being greater than the second sensitivity center wavelength.

19. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a third type of illumination source and a third type of light sensitive element, the third type of illumination source having an illumination spectrum differing from the illumination spectrums of the first and second types of illumination sources, the third type of light sensitive element having an sensitivity spectrum differing from the sensitivity spectrums of the first and second types of light sensitive element, wherein the illumination spectrum of the third type of illumination source has a third illumination center wavelength and the sensitivity spectrum of the third type of light sensitive element has a third sensitivity center wavelength, the third illumination center wavelength being greater than the third sensitivity center wavelength.

20. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, comprising a swallowable capsule.

21. An in-vivo imaging device for narrow band imaging comprising:

a plurality of narrow band illumination sources; and

an imager comprising a plurality of light sensitive elements arranged in a mosaic array for capturing a plurality of narrow band images simultaneously.

22. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of narrow band illumination sources includes at least two types of narrow band illumination sources have differing illumination spectra.

23. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of light sensitive elements includes at least three different types of light sensitive elements, each type being responsive to a narrow band illumination source having a given illumination spectrum.

24. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 22, wherein the light sensitive elements are arranged in groups of four and wherein each group comprises four adjacent light sensitive elements made up of two green light sensitive elements, one red light sensitive element and one blue light sensitive element.