Biological component estimating apparatus, biological component estimating method, and computer program product

• US 9,943,254 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Okano, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, WEI WEN
• Application Number:
  US15/069,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20160275677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/70 Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a biological component estimating apparatus includes a first acquiring unit and a first estimating unit. The first acquiring unit acquires a scattering coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with a scattering coefficient of a measurement target region of a biological body for light including a wavelength range in a near infrared range. The first estimating unit estimates an amount of change in a biological component based on the scattering coefficient distribution image.

Claims

1. A biological component estimating apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to

acquire a scattering coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with a scattering coefficient of a measurement target region of a biological body for light including a wavelength range in a near infrared range,

estimate an amount of change in a biological component based on the scattering coefficient distribution image, and

store in a storage unit a reference template having a size smaller than a size of the scattering coefficient distribution image and also having a predetermined shape, a first pattern of a biological body structure included in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and a relative position of the reference template with respect to the first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, wherein

the processor is further configured to

estimate the amount of change in the biological component based on a first area that is a part of the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identify the first pattern included in the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identify, as a first area, an area inside of the reference template placed at the relative position with respect to the identified first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and

estimate the amount of change in the biological component based on scattering coefficients specified in respective pixels constituting the identified first area in the scattering coefficient distribution image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to

project structured illumination having a periodic structure of a given spatial frequency onto the measurement target region,

photograph the measurement target region to which the structured illumination is projected, so as to acquire a scattered reflection image for light of the structured illumination projected to the measurement target region, and

generate the scattering coefficient distribution image from the scattered reflection image, so as to acquire the scattering coefficient distribution image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to

identify, as the first pattern, a pattern of the biological body stricture included in one of a plurality of such scattering coefficient distribution images,

calculate the reference template in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and calculate a relative position of the placed reference template with respect to the identified first pattern, and

store the identified first pattern and the calculated relative position in the storage unit in a manner associated with the reference template.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is further configured to

acquire an absorption coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with an absorption coefficient for the light,

identify, as the first pattern, a pattern of the biological body structure included in one of a plurality of such absorption coefficient distribution images,

place the reference template in the absorption coefficient distribution image, and calculate a relative position of the placed reference template with respect to the identified first pattern, and

store the identified first pattern and the calculated relative position in the storage unit in a manner associated with the reference template.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern represents a path of at least one of a blood vessel, a muscle, a tendon, and a ligament included in the biological body.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amount of change in the biological component is an amount of change in a blood glucose level.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display an image representing the estimated amount of change in the biological component on a display unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to display an area representing an abnormal amount of change in the image representing the estimated amount of change in the biological component on the display unit in a display mode that is different from a display mode in which the other area is displayed.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to control outputting of information representing abnormality when an amount of change in the biological component estimated based on the scattering coefficient distribution image generated from a scattered reflection image captured in a predetermined first time period indicates a predetermined abnormal amount of change.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to

detect a positional displacement of the biological component estimating apparatus with respect to the measurement target region;

and

display, when the processor has detected a positional displacement, information representing the positional displacement on the display unit.

11. A biological component estimating method comprising:

acquiring a scattering coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with a scattering coefficient of a measurement target region of a biological body for light including a wavelength range in a near infrared range;

estimating an amount of change in a biological component based on the scattering coefficient distribution image; and

storing a reference template having a size smaller than a size of the scattering coefficient distribution image and also having a predetermined shape, a first pattern of a biological body structure included in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and a relative position of the reference template with respect to the first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, wherein

the estimating of the amount of change in the biological component includes

estimating the amount of change in the biological component based on a first area that is a part of the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identifying the first pattern included in the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identifying, as a first area, an area inside of the reference template placed at the relative position with respect to the identified first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and

estimating the amount of change in the biological component based on scattering coefficients specified in respective pixels constituting the identified first area in the scattering coefficient distribution image.

12. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having programmed instructions stored thereon, the instructions causing a computer to execute:

acquiring a scattering coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with a scattering coefficient of a measurement target region of a biological body for light including a wavelength range in a near infrared range;

estimating an amount of change in a biological component based on the scattering coefficient distribution image; and

storing a reference template having a size smaller than a size of the scattering coefficient distribution image and also having a predetermined shape, a first pattern of a biological body structure included in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and a relative position of the reference template with respect to the first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, wherein

the estimating of the amount of change in the biological component includes

estimating the amount of change in the biological component based on a first area that is a part of the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identifying the first pattern included in the scattering coefficient distribution image,

identifying, as a first area, an area inside of the reference template placed at the relative position with respect to the identified first pattern in the scattering coefficient distribution image, and

estimating the amount of change in the biological component based on scattering coefficients specified in respective pixels constituting the identified first area in the scattering coefficient distribution image.