Radioactive ray detecting endoscope

• US 5,088,492 A
• Filed: 10/09/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Mutsumi, Inaba, Makoto, Tagawa, Motoyuki, Ishiwara, Koichiro, Takayama, Shuichi, Hayashi, Masaaki, Fuse, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pfaffle, Krista M.
• Application Number:
  US07/593,585
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 128/654, 128/656, 128/657, 128/658, 128/659, 358/98
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4057 by using radiation sources located in the interior of the body A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/133 including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A radioactive ray detecting endoscope comprises an elongated insertable part having an observing window in the tip part, an imaging apparatus converting an image of an observed part obtained through the observing window to an electric signal and a radioactive ray detecting apparatus detecting radioactive rays from inside the visual field of the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus has, for example, a solid state imaging device imaging an optical image of an object. Also, a collimator regulating the radioactive ray detecting direction is provided, for example, around the radioactive ray detecting apparatus.

Claims

1. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope comprising:

an elongated insertable part having a tip part and an observing window located in the tip part;

an imaging means for converting an optical image of an observed cavity, obtained through said observing window, into an electrical signal forming an optical image output, said imaging means having a visual field; and

a radioactive ray detecting means for detecting radioactive rays, said radioactive ray detecting means having a radioactive ray detecting field of view for detecting the radioactive rays generated from said observed cavity located within said visual field of said imaging means and said radioactive ray detecting means for outputting radioactive ray detecting information forming a radioactive ray image.

2. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said imaging means comprises an image forming optical system for receiving light returning from said observed cavity and entering said observing window and forming the optical image of said observed cavity and a solid state imaging device for imaging said optical image.

3. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 2 wherein said image forming optical system has an optical axis which is bent, said radioactive ray detecting means is provided on said optical axis on one side of said image forming optical system and said radioactive ray detecting endoscope further comprising a collimator surrounding said radioactive ray detecting means, having said radioactive ray detecting field of view, for reducing said radioactive ray detecting field of view.

4. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said imaging means has an image forming optical system for receiving light returning from the observed cavity and entering said observing window, an eyepiece part provided on said insertable part at a rear end side thereof, an image transmitting means transmitting the optical image formed by said image forming optical system to said eyepiece part and a television camera removably fitted to said eyepiece part and imaging said optical image.

5. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 4 wherein said image forming optical system has an optical axis which is bent, and said image transmitting means has an optical axis which is bent, said radioactive ray detecting means is provided on one of said optical axes on one side of said image forming optical system and said radioactive ray detecting endoscope further comprising a collimator surrounding said radioactive ray detecting means, having a radioactive ray detecting field of view, for reducing said radioactive ray detecting field of view.

6. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 2 or 4 further comprising an illuminating means for illuminating inside of said visual field of said imaging means.

7. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 further comprising a first display means for displaying the optical image of said observed cavity based on the electrical signal from said imaging means and a second display means for displaying said radioactive ray image detected by said radioactive ray detecting means.

8. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 7 wherein said first display means for displaying the optical image of the observed cavity and said second display means for displaying the radioactive ray image are a single display means.

9. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 further comprising a channel formed within said insertable part.

10. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 9 further comprising a probe insertable through said channel and having said radioactive ray detecting means in a tip part of said probe.

11. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means has said radioactive ray detecting field of view and said radioactive ray detecting endoscope further comprises a collimator, surrounding said radioactive ray detecting means, for reducing said radioactive ray detecting field of view.

12. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a single solid state imaging device said single solid state image device is used for both said radioactive ray detecting means and said imaging means.

13. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 further comprising a collimator surrounding said solid state imaging device for reducing said radioactive ray detecting field of view.

14. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 11, 3, 5 or 13 wherein said collimator is a member having at least one radioactive ray transmitting part located in the visual field of said imaging means, said member comprising a radioactive ray attenuating material.

15. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 14 wherein said radioactive ray attenuating material is selected from a group consisting of lead, tungsten, stainless steel, lead glass, concrete, and mercury.

16. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 wherein said solid state imaging device has an imaging surface and said radioactive ray detecting endoscope further comprising an optically transparent optical member provided removably in front of the imaging surface of said solid state imaging device.

17. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 further comprising a collimator and an optical system for transmitting the optical image to said solid state imaging device and for passing said radioactive rays within said collimator.

18. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 wherein said solid state imaging device has an imaging surface and said radioactive ray detecting endoscope further comprises a member for intercepting entering light and for passing radioactive rays, said member being pasted to the imaging surface of said solid state imaging device to form a radioactive ray detecting part.

19. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 wherein said solid state imaging device has video pixels and radioactive ray detecting pixels and said video pixels are provided with a radioactive ray attenuating means.

20. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 19 wherein said video pixels have a front surface and wherein said radioactive ray attenuating means is an optically transparent optical member, provided on the front surface of said video pixels for attenuating radioactive rays.

21. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 16 or 20 wherein said optical member is made of lead glass.

22. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 further comprising a memorizing means for storing a signal from said slid state imaging device and a control means for storing signals from said solid state imaging device.

23. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 2 or 12, further comprising a signal processing means for producing a video signal of said observed cavity based on an output signal of said solid state imaging device, said signal processing means including a) a comparing means for comparing a signal obtained from said solid state imaging device with a reference value and b) a replacement means for replacing a part of said signal exceeding said reference value, as detected by said comparing means, with a predetermined value.

24. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 12 further comprising an intercepting means for intercepting entry of light into said solid state imaging device when said radioactive rays are detected using said solid state imaging device.

25. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 24 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means includes a) comparing means for comparing an output signal, obtained from said solid state imaging device when entry of light into said solid state device is intercepted by said intercepting means, with a reference value and for detecting that said output signal exceeds said reference value and b) an indicating means for indicating that said radioactive rays are detected when said comparing means detects that said output signal exceeds said reference value.

26. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1, said radioactive ray detecting means having a detecting direction, said imaging means having a visual field direction and wherein said visual field direction of said imaging means and said detecting direction of said radioactive ray detecting means substantially coincide with each other.

27. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means has a scintillator arrangeable within said visual field of said imaging means.

28. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 27 wherein said scintillator is a liquid scintillator and a space for sealing said liquid scintillator can be formed in the tip part of said insertable part.

29. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means has a scintillator with a radioactive ray detecting part arranged near the tip part of said insertable part and has an aperture provided on a side opposed to said radioactive ray detecting port of said scintillator.

30. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 further comprising a second radioactive ray detecting means, arranged outside said body cavity, for detecting radioactive rays from inside the body cavity.

31. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 30 further comprising a third radioactive ray detecting means for detecting radioactive rays within said visual field of said imaging means.

32. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means has a plurality of radioactive ray detectors each of said detectors having different detecting direction.

33. A radioactive ray detecting endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said imaging means and said radioactive ray detecting means are integral with each other.