Fluorescence detecting apparatus

• US 6,070,096 A
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US09/025,863
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476, 600/478, 600/477, 356/317, 356/318, 250/461.1, 250/458.1, 250/363.01, 250/362
• US Class Current: 600/477
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

A region of interest in a living body is exposed to excitation light, which causes it to produce fluorescence. The fluorescence is separated with respect to desired wavelength ranges and detected. A first detector detects an entire fluorescence component or a fluorescence sum component, which is the sum of a fluorescence component of a comparatively short wavelength region and a fluorescence component of a comparatively long wavelength region. A second detector detects a fluorescence component of a comparatively long wavelength region or a fluorescence difference component, which is the difference between a fluorescence component of a comparatively short wavelength region and a fluorescence component of a comparatively long wavelength region. The output from the first detector and the output from the second detector are divided by each other. The fluorescence intensity depending upon the distance with respect to the region of interest is thus corrected such that no error may occur in making an operation.

Claims

1. A fluorescence detecting apparatus, comprising:

i) an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to a region of interest in a living body, said excitation light having wavelengths falling within an excitation wavelength range for an intrinsic dye in the living body, which intrinsic dye is capable of producing fluorescence when it is excited with said excitation light,

ii) a first fluorescence detecting means for detecting a first fluorescence component, which is either one of;

a) an entire intrinsic fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a visible wavelength range, which contains a comparatively short wavelength range and a comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, and

b) a fluorescence sum component, which is the sum of a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, and a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence,

iii) a second fluorescence detecting means for detecting a second fluorescence component, which is either one of;

a) a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and

b) a fluorescence difference component, which is the difference between a fluorescence component, that have wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and a fluorescence component, that has wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and

iv) a division means for carrying out a division of said first fluorescence component, which has been detected by said first fluorescence detecting means, by said second fluorescence component, which has been detected by said second fluorescence detecting means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein light having wavelengths falling within a wavelength range in the vicinity of an excitation peak wavelength for said intrinsic dye in the living body is employed as said excitation light.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said first fluorescence detecting means and said second fluorescence detecting means carries out two-dimensional detection of the fluorescence, which is produced from said region of interest so as to obtain a fluorescence image of said region of interest.

4. A fluorescence detecting apparatus, comprising:

i) an excitation light irradiating projector for irradiating excitation light to a region of interest in a living body, said excitation light having wavelengths falling within an excitation wavelength range for an intrinsic dye in the living body, which intrinsic dye is capable of producing fluorescence when it is excited with said excitation light,

ii) a first fluorescence detector for detecting a first fluorescence component, which is either one of;

a) an entire intrinsic fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a visible wavelength range, which contains a comparatively short wavelength range and a comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, and

b) a fluorescence sum component, which is the sum of a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, and a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence,

iii) a second fluorescence detector for detecting a second fluorescence component, which is either one of;

a) a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and

b) a fluorescence difference component, which is the difference between a fluorescence component, that have wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and a fluorescence component, that has wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and

iv) a divider for dividing said first fluorescence component, which has been detected by said first fluorescence detector, by said second fluorescence component, which has been detected by said second fluorescence detector.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein light having wavelengths falling within a wavelength range in the vicinity of an excitation peak wavelength for said intrinsic dye in the living body is employed as said excitation light.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said first fluorescence detecting means and said second fluorescence detecting means carries out two-dimensional detection of the fluorescence, which is produced from said region of interest so as to obtain a fluorescence image of said region of interest.