Fluorescence detecting apparatus

• US 6,571,119 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• 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): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US09/893,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476, 600/477, 600/478, 600/160, 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

When a fluorescence image is to be displayed, a region of interest in a living body is irradiated with excitation light so that the fluorescence emitted therefrom is detected by a cold CCD camera via image fibers. A color mosaic filter is fixed on the detection surface of the cold CCD camera so that the fluorescence is separated into three fluorescence components corresponding to red, green and blue wavelength ranges before being detected. The signal intensity corresponding to the red wavelength range is divided by the total signal intensity which is the sum of the signal intensities corresponding to the red, green and blue wavelength ranges. A visual image displayed on the monitor is based on thus divided signal intensity. As it is quite rare that the total signal intensity becomes zero, occurrence of an operation error due to division by the value of zero can be restrained.

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 to which a fluorescent diagnosis drug, that is capable of producing fluorescence when excited with said excitation light has been administered, said excitation light covering wavelengths falling within an excitation wavelength range for said fluorescent diagnosis drug and an intrinsic dye in the living body, said intrinsic dye being capable of producing fluorescence when excited with the excitation light,

ii) a fluorescence detecting means for detecting first and second fluorescence components,

said first fluorescence component being either one of;

a) an entire fluorescence component covering wavelengths falling within a wavelength range which contains;

a wavelength range of extrinsic fluorescence produced by said fluorescent diagnosis drug in said region of interest in the living body, and a wavelength range of intrinsic fluorescence 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 covering wavelengths falling within a part of the wavelength range of the extrinsic fluorescence produced by said fluorescent diagnosis drug in said region of interest in the living body, and a fluorescence component covering wavelengths falling within a part of the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence produced by said intrinsic dye in the living body, and

said second fluorescence component being either one of;

a) a fluorescence component covering wavelengths falling within a part of the wavelength range of the extrinsic fluorescence, and

b) a fluorescence difference component which is the difference between;

a fluorescence component covering wavelengths falling within a part of the wavelength range of the extrinsic fluorescence, and a fluorescence component covering wavelengths falling within a part of the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and

iii) a division means for carrying out a division operation between the first fluorescence component and the second fluorescence component, wherein

the fluorescence detecting means comprises;

a color mosaic filter for separating the fluorescence emitted from the region of interest into the first fluorescence component and the second fluorescence component, and

a detecting means for detecting the first and second fluorescence components in a two-dimensional manner, and wherein

the color mosaic filter is fixed on a fluorescence detecting surface of the detecting means.

2. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of primary colors.

3. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of complementary colors.

4. 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 covering wavelengths falling within an excitation wavelength range for an intrinsic dye in the living body, said intrinsic dye being capable of producing fluorescence when excited with the excitation light,

ii) a fluorescence detecting means for detecting first and second fluorescence components,

said first fluorescence component being either one of;

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

said second fluorescence component being either one of;

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

iii) a division means for carrying out a division operation between the first fluorescence component and the second fluorescence component, wherein

the fluorescence detecting means comprises;

a color mosaic filter for separating the fluorescence emitted from the region of interest into the first fluorescence component and the second fluorescence component, and

a detecting means for detecting the first and second fluorescence components in a two-dimensional manner, and wherein

the color mosaic filter is fixed on a fluorescence detecting surface of the detecting means.

5. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of primary colors.

6. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of complementary colors.

7. A fluorescence detecting apparatus, comprising:

i) an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to a region of interest in a living body,

ii) a fluorescence detecting means for detecting at least two fluorescence components of desired wavelength ranges extracted from fluorescence emitted from the region of interest irradiated with the excitation light, and

iii) a signal processing means for processing in a predetermined manner signals representing said at least two fluorescence components detected by the fluorescence detecting means, wherein

the fluorescence detecting means comprises;

a color mosaic filter for separating the fluorescence emitted from the region of interest into said at least two fluorescence components and

a detecting means for detecting said at least two fluorescence components in a two-dimensional manner, and wherein

the color mosaic filter is fixed on a fluorescence detecting surface of the detecting means.

8. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of primary colors.

9. A fluorescence detecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the color mosaic filter includes filter elements of complementary colors.