JPH02299634A - Diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a small-sized lightweight movable apparatus using a light source not using gas or a dye solution by interposing a light processing apparatus separating the light from a white light source to be used into the diagnostic light and observation light of a substance to be diagnosed between the white light source and a light guide. CONSTITUTION:A laser beam source and its light guide are removed from a conventional apparatus and a light processing apparatus 19 is interposed between a white light source 7 and a light guide 3. The light processing apparatus 19 consists of a motor 20, a chopper disc 21 and a control circuit 22 controlling the timing of the motor and a high sensitivity camera 11 and windows equipped with a filter permitting only diagnostic light of 405nm to pass and windows permitting observation light of a full-wavelength to pass are alternately provided to the chopper disk rotating at a definite speed. The light data at the time of the irradiation with diagnostic light is detected by the high sensitivity camera and operationally analyzed by a spectroscope and an analyser to be displayed on a monitor TV. At the time of observation light, light data is detected by a color camera and the whole image of a substance to be observed is displayed on other monitor TV.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a diagnostic device using light, and provides a diagnostic device for fluorescently diagnosing diseases (particularly cancer) in the body. More specifically, hematoporphyrin derivatives (tl
ematoporphyrj, n Derivative
e.

Cancer treatment methods using photochemical reactions using fluorescent substances that easily accumulate in cancers such as HpD (hereinafter referred to as HpD) and have a cell-killing effect when excited by light are becoming established.
Otodynamic Therapy (PDT)
It is called. The present invention relates to a diagnostic device for diagnosing cancer by measuring the spectral intensity and the like of fluorescence generated from this fluorescent substance.

``Prior art'' In the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, fluorescent substances such as I-1p D, which have a strong affinity for cancer, are absorbed into the lesion area in advance, and this area is irradiated with laser light. A cancer diagnosis and treatment method and apparatus have been proposed that selectively necrotize only cancer cells by utilizing a photochemical reaction between cancer cells and laser light (Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-9464 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-2633).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of the conventional diagnostic treatment apparatus proposed in Section 2. In the figure, 1 is a tissue surface, 2.3.4.
5 is a light guide, 6 is a color camera, 7 is a white light source,
8 is a laser light source, 9 is a spectrometer, 10 is a fluorescence spectrum image, 11 is a high-sensitivity camera, 12 is an analysis circuit, 13 and 1
4 is a monitor TV, 15 is a fiber bundle, and 16 is a video signal.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 5 can be divided into a normal endoscopic diagnosis system 17 and a photochemical reaction diagnosis treatment system 18. The fiber bundle 15 is incorporated into an endoscope, and is preliminarily
, D was inserted into the suspected lesion site of the patient who received intravenous injection.

The endoscopic diagnosis system 17 includes a white light source 7 for irradiating the tissue surface, a light guide 3 that guides the white light, an image guide 2 that guides an image of the tissue surface to a color camera 6, and a light guide 3 that guides the white light to a color camera 6. Color camera 6 captures the image of surface 1-
It consists of a monitor TV 1.3 that displays the image taken by the camera.

The photochemical reaction diagnostic treatment system 18 includes diagnostic light (wavelength 405 nm) for diagnosis and therapeutic light (630 nm) for treatment.
A laser light source 8 is provided which switches and outputs the pulsed laser light (111) as a pulsed laser light. These lights are guided to the affected area by the light guide 4 and irradiated thereon.

Fluorescence generated by irradiation with diagnostic laser light during diagnosis is guided to a spectroscope 9 by a light guide 5. A fluorescence spectrum image 10 obtained by this spectroscope 9 is captured by a high-sensitivity camera 11.
This output video signal 16 is sent to the analysis circuit 1.
2, it is processed and graphically displayed as a spectrum waveform on the monitor TV 14. The spectral image 10 is I(p,
A bimodal system of 630 nm and 690 nm which is characteristic of D fluorescence is shown, and in order to observe this spectrum, the spectral wavelength range of the spectrometer 9 is set to 600 to 700 nm.

Since endoscopic diagnosis and photochemical reaction diagnosis treatment are performed in parallel, the white light source 7 and the laser light source 8 are time-shared to illuminate the tissue surface]
irradiate. The fluorescence spectrum analysis system from the spectrometer 9 to the monitor TV 1.4 also operates intermittently in synchronization with the laser beam irradiation.

With this device, the operator can monitor the TV1.
The location of cancer can be detected while simultaneously viewing the tissue image shown in step 3 and the fluorescence spectrum waveform on the monitor TV 14, and any cancer discovered here can be immediately treated by simply switching the excitation light to the treatment mode. This treatment is carried out by selectively necrotizing only the septum through a photochemical reaction between HpD remaining in the septum and therapeutic light. Furthermore, when confirming fluorescence at the time of diagnosis, since the spectrum waveform unique to fluorescence itself is directly observed, there is no confusion with autofluorescence from normal areas, making it easy to identify cancer. In particular, it has the potential to greatly contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage cancer.

The wavelength of the therapeutic light was set to 630 nm due to several H
This is because the absorption by blood is lowest at this wavelength in the absorption pan 1 of pD, so the laser beam can reach deep into the tissue and can be expected to treat deep cancer.In addition, the wavelength of the diagnostic light The wavelength was set to 405 nm because the absorption of Hp and D is large at this wavelength, and the fluorescence unique to HpD can be efficiently generated.

``Problem to be Solved by the Invention'' The above-mentioned prior art is of great significance in itself because it allows diagnosis and treatment of cancer to be performed simultaneously with one device. Furthermore, the use of pulsed laser light with a large peak output as the light for exciting H p D is of great significance for effective diagnosis and treatment. However, there are cases where diagnosis and treatment are not performed at the same time, and there has been a particular desire for a device that can only perform diagnosis. For example, at the research level, there are cases where only a diagnostic device is required, and in health checkups for a large number of people, there has been a demand for a diagnostic device that is particularly easy to handle.

When performing only diagnosis, the conventional device described above can be used, but its dimensions are too large and it is difficult to move. Further, if only for diagnosis, the 405 nm wavelength light source does not necessarily have to be a laser, and if there is a light source that is easier to use, this is preferable.

Conventional equipment uses 405 nm pulsed laser light for diagnosis <4
It was obtained by irradiating excimer gas laser light emitting 308 nm light onto a dye solution in which a dye emitting 405 nm light was dissolved in a solvent. These gases and dye solutions must be replaced with fresh ones at appropriate times to maintain laser performance. Although it depends on the frequency of use, it generally needs to be replaced once a week.

The present invention has only diagnostic considerations in mind and aims to provide a device using a light source that is small, lightweight, portable, and does not use gases or dye solutions.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' The diagnostic device of the present invention eliminates the use of a pulsed laser light source that emits 405 nm light, which was used in the prior art only to obtain fluorescence from the affected area, and instead uses a pulsed laser light source that emits 405 nm light. Irradiate it! The present invention is characterized in that the white light source used only for obtaining diagnostic light is used not only for this purpose but also as a light source for emitting diagnostic light of 405 nm.

For this reason, the present invention provides an apparatus for irradiating light from a light source onto a substance to be diagnosed via a light guide to obtain optical information, which is then analyzed and displayed. A light processing device for separating the light from the white light source into diagnostic light and observation light for the substance to be diagnosed is interposed between the two.

"Operation" The light processing device consists of a disk that rotates at a constant speed, and this disk is alternately equipped with filtered windows that allow only 405 nm diagnostic light to pass through, and windows that allow a-shaped light of all wavelengths to pass through. establish. Light information obtained when the diagnostic light is irradiated is detected by a high-sensitivity camera, arithmetic-analyzed by a spectrometer and an analysis device, and displayed on a monitor TV. In the case of ia light, it is detected by a color camera and the entire image of the observed substance is displayed on another monitor TV.

"Example" Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a diagnostic device according to the present invention, in which the laser light source 8 and light guide 4 are removed from the conventional device shown in FIG.
9 was interposed.

The roles of the other components are exactly the same as those in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the optical processing device 19 includes a motor 20, a chopper disk 21 rotated by the motor 20, a high-sensitivity force, and a camera 1.
1 and a control circuit 22 that controls the timing with respect to 1.

The chopper disk 2] has diagnostic light windows 24a to 24d on which are installed filters 23 for obtaining diagnostic light in the wavelength range of 400 to 410 nm with a center wavelength of 405 nm, and Observation light windows 25a to 25d, which have only holes without holes, are formed alternately.

White light generated from a white light source 7 such as a Xe lamp turned on by a power source 26 is focused by a lens 27, enters the light guide 3, and irradiates the tissue surface 1 of a living body as a substance to be diagnosed. At this time, the white light is chopped by a chopper disk 21 attached to a motor 20. The rotation of the motor 20 is controlled by a timing control circuit 22, and the timing control circuit 22 sets the rotation speed of the motor 20 in a certain time relationship with the high-sensitivity camera 1j.

Hp obtained by irradiating 405 nm light for diagnosis, white light for observation, and 405 nm light when the chopper disk 21 rotates;
The respective temporal relationships of D fluorescence are shown in FIG. 4
As mentioned above, HpD fluorescence can be obtained by irradiation with 05 nm light. The chopper disc 21 has a frequency of 15Hz (
Assuming that it rotates at a speed of 15 revolutions per second, the 405 nm diagnostic light becomes a pulse train of 60 pulses/see (period: 1/60 sec). The pulse width of the 405 nm diagnostic light is 2n+s, and the pulse width of the observation white light is 1.0 ms, which starts about 2.7 ms after the 605 nm light stops. Note that this time relationship is determined by the window size of the chopper disk 21 and the rotational speed of the motor 20.

Although HpD fluorescence can be obtained both by 405 nm light and by white light irradiation, the diagnostic device of the present invention detects the fluorescence obtained only by 405 nm light. This is done by gate operation of the high-sensitivity camera 11. This high-sensitivity camera 11 is an image intensifier (hereinafter referred to as II).
A weak fluorescence spectrum image 10 formed by the incident light of II is amplified on the phosphor screen at the output end. This I is the SIT image pickup tube.
This is for capturing the output image of I, and the output image is displayed on the monitor TV 1.4 through the analysis circuit 12. The gate operation of the high-sensitivity camera is performed by supplying and stopping the voltage applied to II necessary for amplification. It takes advantage of the fact that the amplification function occurs only when voltage is supplied. Specifically, in Fig. 4, only when the diagnostic 40Snm light is incident on the light guide, voltage is supplied to II, gates 1 to 1 are turned on, the high-sensitivity camera 11 is operated, and when white light is irradiated, the switch is turned to ■■. The voltage supply to the gate 1 is stopped and the voltage is set to 0FFL, and the high sensitivity camera 11 is made inoperable. The timing control circuit 22 controls the chopper circle so that the gate II is turned ON only when the 405 nm diagnostic light is incident on the light guide 3, and the gate II is turned OFF when the white observation light is incident on the light guide 3. This is for timing the rotation of the plate 21 and the Goo 1 operation. By turning off the gate during irradiation of this white observation light, photodestruction of II due to strong white light is avoided.

As described above, diagnostic light is obtained from each white light source and a fluorescence spectral image is displayed on the monitor TV, and an overall image is also displayed on the monitor TV using observation light.

In the above embodiment, two monitors were used: the monitor TVi3, which displays the image obtained by photographing the tissue surface 1 with the color camera 6, and the monitor TV14, which displays the spectral image obtained from the tissue surface 1. You can do it with TV.

It is common practice to electrically process multiple images and display them on a single TV monitor.

In the embodiment, the observation light window 25 of the chopper disk 21
Nothing is attached to a to 25d, but a filter that cuts only the 405 nm diagnostic light component of the white light may be attached thereto as long as the color balance is not affected. Specifically, a cut filter that transmits wavelengths longer than 41.0 nm is suitable. This may result in too much light being applied during diagnosis.
D is photolyzed, and as a result, deterioration in diagnostic reproducibility is reduced.

In the above embodiment, a cancer cell diagnostic device was explained.
The present invention is not limited to this, but can also be used for inspection and diagnosis of substances clogged inside pipes, such as the overall image and analysis of filth clogged in water pipes.

"Effects of the Invention" Since the present invention has the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Cancer diagnosis can be performed using a simple method using only a white light source, without using a 405 nm pulse laser and a white light source as in the past, and the device is easy to handle, requires no maintenance, and is more compact. Ru.

If the spectral image obtained on the monitor TV is unique to HpD, it means that the diagnosed lesion contains HpD, and since HpD has a strong affinity with cancer, can be presumed to be cancer.

(2) The use is not limited to HPD as a fluorescent substance that has affinity for cancer and has a cell-killing effect when excited by light;
The present invention is also applicable to other fluorescent substances having similar properties, such as pheophorbite, metal phthalocyanine, and chlorophylls.

Simply attach a filter with a transmission wavelength that matches the absorption wavelength of each fluorescent substance to the window of the chopper disk, and set the spectrometer's spectral wavelength range so that it can detect the fluorescence wavelength emitted by each fluorescent substance. .

(3) The substance to be diagnosed is not necessarily limited to the diagnosis of cancer cells in a living body, but can also be used, for example, to inspect and diagnose substances clogged in water pipes or other pipe bodies.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the diagnostic device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the two main parts of the same, Fig. 3 is a front view of the chopper disk, and Fig. 4 is the output of each part. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional device. 1. Tissue surface, 2, 3, 4.5... light guide, 6.
... Color camera, 7... White light source, 8... Laser light source, 9 - Spectrometer, 10... Fluorescence spectrum image, 1]
...High sensitivity camera, 12...Analysis circuit, 1.3,1.
4...Monitor TV, I5...Fiber bundle, 16...Video signal, 17.Endoscope diagnosis system, 18...Photochemical reaction diagnosis treatment system, 19...Optical processing device, 20...Motor, 21
・・・Chopper disk, 22・Timing control circuit, 2
3・Filter, 24a to 24d・Diagnostic light window, 25a
-25d #11 Light detection window, 26-power supply, 27 lens. Procedural amendment (voluntary) 1. Display of the case 1999 Patent Application No. 120996 2, Name of the invention Diagnosis device 3, Person making the amendment Relationship to the case Patent applicant address 1 name of 1126 Ichino-cho, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Hamamatsu Photonics Co., Ltd. Representative Teruo Ma 4, Agent 102 Address 1-5-3-6 Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Page 14, lines 8 and 9 of the specification subject to amendment Insert the following sentence between the eyes. "In the above embodiment, the white light source 7 used was a Xe lamp that emits so-called white light, which does not have any partial loss of spectral components and covers the spectrum of the entire visible region on average. However, it is limited to this white light. Instead, it may be a so-called white laser. An example of this white laser is a He-Cd hollow cathode laser. This is 442nm (blue), 534,538nm (green),
It simultaneously emits bright line spectra of only three primary colors of 636 nm (red), and is called a white laser because when these spectra are mixed, it appears white. In the present invention, this type of white laser can also be used as the white light source 7. For example, as the white light source 7, the above He-C
When using the d hollow cutter laser, the diagnostic light windows 24a, 24b, 24c, 2 of the chopper disc 21
The filter 23 attached to 4d may be one that passes only 442 nm light. The absorption of HpD has a peak at 405 nm, but there is also absorption at 442 nm, so this light can be absorbed to generate bimodal fluorescence at 630 nm and 690 nm, which is unique to HpD. Moreover, the observation light window 25a,
The white light passing through 25b, 25c, and 25d illuminates the tissue surface in white, but the observed image captured by the color camera 6 and displayed on the monitor TV 13 is reproduced as white. Even if a white laser is used as a white light source in this way, the spirit of the present invention is still valid and is within the scope of the present invention. ”

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) In a device that irradiates light from a light source onto a substance to be diagnosed via a light guide to obtain optical information, which is analyzed and displayed, a white light source is used as the light source, and the white light source and the light guide are connected to each other. A diagnostic device in which a light processing device for separating light from a white light source into diagnostic light and observation light for the substance to be diagnosed is interposed. (2) Using a substance that has an affinity for cancer cells and has the property of emitting fluorescence when excited by light, cells containing this substance or substances to be diagnosed such as living cells are irradiated with light to detect cancer. A diagnostic device includes a white light source for obtaining fluorescence and observation light from the substance to be diagnosed, a light processing device for obtaining diagnostic light and observation light from the light of the white light source, and irradiation light from the white light source. A light guide that guides the fluorescence and observation light, which are the optical information obtained from the light guide, to the substance to be diagnosed and guides them to the spectrometer and the imaging camera, respectively, and an imaging device that takes an observation image using the observation light from this light guide. a camera, a spectrometer for dispersing fluorescence using the diagnostic light from the light guide, a camera for capturing a spectral image of the fluorescence obtained from the spectrometer, and a camera for processing the video output of the camera. A diagnostic device comprising: an analysis circuit for converting into a spectral figure as a fluorescence spectral image; and a monitor TV for displaying the observed image and the fluorescence spectral image. (3) The optical processing device has a chopper disk with a diagnostic light window attached with a filter that transmits only the diagnostic light, and an observation light window for obtaining observation light, arranged alternately around the rotation axis. The diagnostic device according to claim (1) or (2). (4) The diagnostic device according to claim (3), wherein the observation light window of the chopper comprises only a blank hole. (5) The diagnostic device according to claim 3, wherein the observation light window of the chopper is provided with a filter that does not transmit wavelength components matching the diagnostic light among the white light emitted from the white light source. (6) A camera for capturing a fluorescence spectrum image is controlled to capture an image only when diagnostic light is irradiated from a white light source, and not to capture an image when white light is irradiated. (2) Diagnostic device as described. (7) The substance having the property of emitting fluorescence is a hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD), the transmission wavelength of the filter attached to the chopper disk is 405 nm, and the white light source is a xenon lamp according to claim (2). diagnostic equipment.