CAPSULE ENDOSCOPIC SYSTEM AND OPERATION CONTROL METHOD OF CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE

• US 20080242931A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NISHINO, Naoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,517,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH

Abstract

A receiver of capsule endoscopic system downloads diagnostic information of a patient obtained by a past diagnosis from a data storage of work station. A data analyzer of the receiver compares the diagnostic information and present information obtained by use of a capsule endoscope during endoscopy. A CPU produces a control command in which a frame rate of image shooting by use of the capsule endoscope is set based on an analysis result of the data analyzer. The produced control command is wirelessly transmitted via a radio wave from the receiver. The capsule endoscope wirelessly receives the control command from the receiver via the radio wave, and performs image shooting with the frame rate set by the control command.

Claims

1. A capsule endoscopic system composed of a capsule endoscope swallowed by a patient to be inspected for shooting an image of a region to be observed inside a body of said patient, a receiver for wirelessly receiving image data of said region to be observed obtained by said capsule endoscope and storing said image data, and an information management device for retrieving said image data of said region to be observed from said receiver to store and manage said image data, said capsule endoscopic system comprising:

(A) said information management device includes;

a first storage device for storing past diagnostic information of said patient;

(B) said receiver includes;

a second storage device for storing said diagnostic information retrieved from said information management device;

a first data analyzer for comparing said diagnostic information and present information obtained by said capsule endoscope during endoscopy;

a control command producer for producing a control command to control operation of each component of said capsule endoscope based on an analysis result of said first data analyzer; and

a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said control command; and

(C) said capsule endoscope includes;

a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving said control command; and

an operation controller for causing each component of said capsule endoscope to operate in accordance with said control command.

2. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control command specifies a frame rate of said image shooting.

3. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control command is a release signal for performing said image shooting.

4. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control command switches said capsule endoscope between a first operation mode for performing said image shooting at a fixed timing and a second operation mode for performing said image shooting at an arbitrary timing.

5. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 4, wherein

said image shooting is performed first and then said control command is produced based on image data obtained by said image shooting in said first operation mode, and

said control command is produced first and then said image shooting is performed in accordance with said control command in said second operation mode.

6. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control command switches said capsule endscope to a third operation mode in which said image shooting is halted.

7. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control command specifies a driving condition of a light source section in said capsule endoscope.

8. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 7, wherein said driving condition includes at least one of a kind of light sources constituting said light source section, a number of said light sources to be lightened, a light amount, and a lightening time.

9. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said diagnostic information includes image data at a periphery of a target region inside the body of said patient to be inspected.

10. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 9, wherein said diagnostic information includes position information at a periphery of said target region inside the body of said patient.

11. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 10, wherein said position information is stored in relation with said image data of said region to be observed.

12. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 10, wherein said position information includes at least one of a position of said capsule endoscope at the time of shooting an image at a periphery of said target region, operation time of said capsule endoscope, and a moving distance of said capsule endoscope.

13. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 12, further comprising at least one of a position detector for detecting a position of said capsule endoscope, an operation time measurement device for measuring operation time of said capsule endoscope, and a moving distance measurement device for measuring a moving distance of said capsule endoscope, wherein at least one of a detection result of said position detector, a measurement result of said operation time measurement device, and a measurement result of said moving distance measurement device is used as said position information.

14. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 13, wherein said position detector includes an electric field strength detector for detecting an electric field strength of a wireless signal transmitted/received between said capsule endoscope and said receiver.

15. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 13, wherein said operation time measurement device includes a clock circuit incorporated in said capsule endoscope or said receiver.

16. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 13, wherein said moving distance measurement device includes an acceleration sensor for measuring acceleration of said capsule endoscope and an integrator for integrating said measurement result of said acceleration sensor.

17. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a pylorus passage detector for detecting that said capsule endoscope passes through a pylorus, wherein a point of time when said pylorus passage detector detects that said capsule endoscope passes through said pylorus is considered as a reference point of said operation time and said moving distance of said capsule endoscope.

18. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 17, wherein said pylorus passage detector includes a pH sensor for measuring pH inside the body of said patient to be inspected.

19. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

(A) said information management device includes;

a third storage device for storing case information obtained from a typical instance of disease; and

(B) said receiver includes;

a fourth storage device for storing said case information retrieved from said information management device; and

a second data analyzer for comparing said case information and said present information, wherein

said control command producer produces said control command based on an analysis result of said second data analyzer.

20. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 19, wherein said case information includes image data of at least one of a typical lesion and a foreign substance.

21. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said capsule endoscope includes a fifth storage device for storing an operation condition of each component of said capsule endoscope set by said control command.

22. A capsule endoscopic system as defined in claim 1, wherein said wireless transmitter and said wireless receiver are used to wirelessly transmit/receive said image data of said region to be observed.

23. An operation control method of capsule endoscope comprising the steps of:

retrieving past diagnostic information of a patient to be inspected from an information management device to a receiver;

comparing and analyzing said diagnostic information and present information obtained by a capsule endoscope during endoscopy;

producing a control command to control operation of each component of said capsule endoscope based on an analysis result of said analyzing step;

wirelessly transmitting and receiving said control command between said receiver and said capsule endoscope; and

causing each component of said capsule endoscope to operate in accordance with said control command.