ENDOSCOPE POSITION SPECIFYING DEVICE, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20180263712A1
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: KITAMURA, Yoshiro
• Application Number:
  US15/868,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20180263712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2057 Details of tracking cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/02 specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• 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: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

A hole portion detection unit detects a hole portion of the bronchus from at least one of a first endoscope image or a second endoscope image temporally earlier than the first endoscope image. A first parameter calculation unit calculates a first parameter indicating the amount of parallel movement for matching the hole portions of the two endoscope images with each other. A second parameter calculation unit performs alignment between the two endoscope images based on the first parameter, and calculates a second parameter including the amount of enlargement and reduction. Based on the two parameters, a movement amount calculation unit calculates the amount of movement of the endoscope from the acquisition time of the second endoscope image to the acquisition time of the first endoscope image.

Claims

1. An endoscope position specifying device, comprising:

endoscope image acquisition unit for sequentially acquiring endoscope images that are generated by an endoscope inserted into a tubular structure having a plurality of branch structures and that show an inner wall of the tubular structure;

hole portion detection unit for detecting a hole portion of the tubular structure from at least one of a first endoscope image or a second endoscope image, which is acquired temporally before the first endoscope image, among the sequentially acquired endoscope images;

first parameter calculation unit for calculating a first parameter indicating an amount of parallel movement of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match hole portions of the first and second endoscope images with each other;

second parameter calculation unit for performing alignment between the first and second endoscope images based on the first parameter and calculating a second parameter including an amount of enlargement and reduction of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match the hole portions of the first and second endoscope images after the alignment with each other; and

movement amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of movement of the endoscope from an acquisition time of the second endoscope image to an acquisition time of the first endoscope image based on the first and second parameters.

2. The endoscope position specifying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

image generation unit for generating an image of the tubular structure from a three-dimensional image including the tubular structure; and

display control unit for displaying the image of the tubular structure and displaying a position of the endoscope based on the amount of movement on the image of the tubular structure.

3. The endoscope position specifying device according to claim 2,

wherein the display control unit displays the position of the endoscope by projecting the position of the endoscope in a direction in which the tubular structure in the image of the tubular structure extends.

4. The endoscope position specifying device according to claim 3, further comprising:

storage unit for storing the amount of movement; and

deviation calculation unit for calculating a deviation of the endoscope within the tubular structure based on the stored amount of movement,

wherein the display control unit displays the position of the endoscope based on the deviation of the endoscope.

5. The endoscope position specifying device according to claim 1,

wherein the movement amount calculation unit calculates the amount of movement by correcting at least one of the first parameter or the second parameter according to a diameter of the tubular structure.

6. The endoscope position specifying device according to claim 1,

wherein the second parameter calculation unit calculates the second parameter further including an amount of rotation of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image.

7. An endoscope position specifying method, comprising:

sequentially acquiring endoscope images that are generated by an endoscope inserted into a tubular structure having a plurality of branch structures and that show an inner wall of the tubular structure;

detecting a hole portion of the tubular structure from at least one of a first endoscope image or a second endoscope image, which is acquired temporally before the first endoscope image, among the sequentially acquired endoscope images;

calculating a first parameter indicating an amount of parallel movement of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match hole portions of the first and second endoscope images with each other;

performing alignment between the first and second endoscope images based on the first parameter and calculating a second parameter including an amount of enlargement and reduction of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match the hole portions of the first and second endoscope images after the alignment with each other; and

calculating an amount of movement of the endoscope from an acquisition time of the second endoscope image to an acquisition time of the first endoscope image based on the first and second parameters.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein an endoscope position specifying program causing a computer to execute:

a step of sequentially acquiring endoscope images that are generated by an endoscope inserted into a tubular structure having a plurality of branch structures and that show an inner wall of the tubular structure;

a step of detecting a hole portion of the tubular structure from at least one of a first endoscope image or a second endoscope image, which is acquired temporally before the first endoscope image, among the sequentially acquired endoscope images;

a step of calculating a first parameter indicating an amount of parallel movement of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match hole portions of the first and second endoscope images with each other;

a step of performing alignment between the first and second endoscope images based on the first parameter and calculating a second parameter including an amount of enlargement and reduction of the first endoscope image with respect to the second endoscope image in order to match the hole portions of the first and second endoscope images after the alignment with each other; and

a step of calculating an amount of movement of the endoscope from an acquisition time of the second endoscope image to an acquisition time of the first endoscope image based on the first and second parameters.