ENDOSCOPY SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR
First Claim
1. An endoscopy system comprising:
- a capsule endoscope swallowed by a test body to capture first kind of images from internal portions of the test body;
an image processor for processing image data of the first kind of images, to display the first kind of images on a monitor for a doctor to interpret them;
a flexible endoscope having a flexible inserter with an imaging device, said flexible inserter being inserted in the test body to capture second kind of images by said imaging device when the doctor finds it necessary to make a thorough examination of an aimed point inside the test body as a result of interpretation of the first kind of images;
an aimed point selection device for selecting an aimed point image that contains said aimed point from among the first kind of images in response to an operation by the doctor;
a similarity detection device for detecting similarity between said aimed point image and the second kind of images as captured by said imaging device while said flexible inserter is being moved toward said aimed point;
a position information obtaining device for obtaining information on a relative position of said imaging device of said flexible endoscope inside the test body on the basis of the similarity detected by said similarity detection device; and
a display device for displaying the information on the relative position of said imaging device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capsule endoscope is swallowed by a patient, to capture images from inner wall surfaces of patient'"'"'s digestive tract, while detecting imaging positions of the capsule endoscope. A doctor observes the images captured by the capsule endoscope, to select an aimed point image that contains a portion suspected of a lesion, and some images that represent pass points on an insertion route of a balloon endoscope. While a probing tip of the balloon endoscope is being inserted into the patient for the sake of thorough examination of the suspected portion, a degree of similarity between an image captured by the balloon endoscope and an image of a destination point, which is one of the pass points and the aimed point, is detected to judge by the similarity whether the probing tip has reached the destination point or not. So the doctor can get the probing tip to the aimed point easily.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An endoscopy system comprising:
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a capsule endoscope swallowed by a test body to capture first kind of images from internal portions of the test body; an image processor for processing image data of the first kind of images, to display the first kind of images on a monitor for a doctor to interpret them; a flexible endoscope having a flexible inserter with an imaging device, said flexible inserter being inserted in the test body to capture second kind of images by said imaging device when the doctor finds it necessary to make a thorough examination of an aimed point inside the test body as a result of interpretation of the first kind of images; an aimed point selection device for selecting an aimed point image that contains said aimed point from among the first kind of images in response to an operation by the doctor; a similarity detection device for detecting similarity between said aimed point image and the second kind of images as captured by said imaging device while said flexible inserter is being moved toward said aimed point; a position information obtaining device for obtaining information on a relative position of said imaging device of said flexible endoscope inside the test body on the basis of the similarity detected by said similarity detection device; and a display device for displaying the information on the relative position of said imaging device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An endoscopy method using a capsule endoscope swallowed by a test body to capture first kind of images from internal portions of the test body, and a flexible endoscope having a flexible inserter with an imaging device, said flexible inserter being inserted into the test body to capture second kind of images by said imaging device when the doctor finds it necessary to make a thorough examination of an aimed point inside the test body as a result of interpretation of the first kind of images, said endoscopy method comprising steps of:
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selecting an aimed point image that contains said aimed point from among the first kind of images; detecting similarity between said aimed point image and the second kind of images as captured by said imaging device while said flexible inserter is being moved toward said aimed point; obtaining information on a relative position of said imaging device of said flexible endoscope inside the test body on the basis of the similarity between said aimed point image and the second kind of images; and displaying the obtained information on the relative position of said imaging device.
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Specification