Biological measurement apparatus, biological observation apparatus and operation method for biological measurement apparatus

• US 20110275898A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: GONO, Kazuhiro, IGARASHI, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 8,491,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use

Abstract

A biological measurement apparatus includes: an endoscope including a treatment instrument insertion channel provided inside an insertion portion; a pump that delivers water into the treatment instrument insertion channel; an optical system, etc., that guide light from a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band into the water delivered into the treatment instrument insertion channel; and a spectroscope that detects return light resulting from the light passing through the water, falling on and being reflected by an object and returning while passing through the water when the water is delivered from the pump.

Claims

1. A biological measurement apparatus comprising:

a liquid delivery apparatus that delivers a liquid into a tube portion provided inside or outside an insertion portion;

a light guide section that guides light from a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band into the liquid delivered into the tube portion; and

a photodetection section that detects return light resulting from the light passing through the liquid, falling on and being reflected by an object and returning while passing through the liquid when the liquid is delivered from the liquid delivery apparatus.

2. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tube portion is a treatment instrument insertion channel.

3. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photodetection section is a spectroscope.

4. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid delivery apparatus includes a pump that delivers the liquid at a predetermined pressure.

5. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising light separating means for separating the light from the light source and the return light, the light separating means being provided in the liquid delivery apparatus.

6. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the light separating means is a beam splitter;

and

wherein the photodetector detects the return light resulting from the separation in the beam splitter.

7. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the light separating means is an integrating sphere;

and

wherein the photodetector detects the return light resulting from the separation in the integrating sphere.

15. The biological measurement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

an endoscope including the tube portion;

a main body apparatus; and

a connection tube connecting the tube portion and the main body apparatus,

wherein the main body apparatus includes the liquid delivery apparatus that delivers a liquid into the tube portion via the connection tube.

8. An operation method for a biological measurement apparatus, comprising:

delivering a liquid into a tube portion provided inside or outside an insertion portion, via a liquid delivery apparatus;

guiding light from a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band into the liquid delivered into the tube portion, via a light guide section; and

detecting return light resulting from the light passing through the liquid, falling on and being reflected by an object and returning when the liquid is delivered into the tube portion, via a photodetection section.

9. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a detection value of the return light is stored when an intensity of the return light is no less than a predetermined threshold value.

10. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a detection value of the return light is stored when an intensity of the return light is within a predetermined range.

11. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the intensity of the return light is a value of integral of the intensity over a predetermined set wavelength band.

12. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tube portion provided inside the insertion portion is a treatment instrument insertion channel.

13. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detection of the return light is performed by a spectroscope.

14. The operation method for a biological measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the delivery of the liquid into the tube portion is performed by a pump that delivers the liquid at a predetermined pressure.

16. A biological observation apparatus comprising:

a liquid delivery section that delivers a liquid into a tube portion provided inside or outside an insertion portion;

a light guide section that guides light from a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band into the liquid delivered into the tube portion;

an ejection section that ejects the light from the light guide section and the liquid to a target site; and

an illumination section that illuminates at least the target site with at least a part of the light ejected from the ejection section, the illumination section being formed of the liquid.

17. A biological measurement apparatus comprising:

liquid delivery means for delivering a liquid into a tube portion provided inside or outside an insertion portion;

light guide means for guiding light from a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band into the liquid delivered into the tube portion; and

photodetection means for detecting return light resulting from the light passing through the liquid, falling on and being reflected by an object and returning while passing through the liquid when the liquid is delivered from the liquid delivery means.