JPH0420614B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a transendoscopic information filing system for filing transendoscopic information such as transendoscopic images.

When observing the progress of a disease state in diagnosis using an endoscope, the progress of the disease state is determined by looking at still images of endoscopic photographs. When using such photographs, it is troublesome to organize and search a large number of photographs, and rapid information exchange between hospitals is not possible. Furthermore, since only still images can be obtained, accurate medical diagnosis may not be possible.

Furthermore, it has not been possible to easily compare images accumulated in the past with stored images currently under examination for diagnosis.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to facilitate recording and retrieval of transendoscopic information such as transendoscopic images, and to easily compare and diagnose images accumulated in the past with stored images currently under examination. The purpose of this invention is to provide a transendoscopy information filing system that can be used.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, for example, diagnostic information terminal stations A-1, A-2, A-
3, A-4 is communicatively coupled to a diagnostic information central station B, which is located in a large hospital, for example. Terminal station A-1,A
-2, A-3, and A-4 are each provided with a transendoscopic diagnostic device 11. Transendoscope diagnostic device 1
According to No. 1, an imaging device (television camera), for example, a solid-state imaging device (CCD television camera) 14 is attached to an eyepiece 13 of an endoscope 12. The output section of the CCD television camera 14 is a camera control unit,
That is, it is connected to the input section of the CCU 15. This CCU
15 is configured to signal process the video signal of the endoscopic image of the television camera 14. CCU15
The output section of is connected to a monitor 16 and a communication interface (communication I/F) 17. Also, CCU1
The output section 5 is connected to a memory 18 for recording video information. The memory 18 is connected to the control unit 19,
Reading and writing are controlled. The control unit 19 is connected to the keyboard 20 and transfers information from the keyboard 20 to the memory 18.

The connector portion 22 of the universal cord 21 of the endoscope 12 is coupled to a light source unit 23 that emits light to illuminate the inside of the body cavity via the light guide of the endoscope 12.

The central station B has terminal stations A-1, A-2, A-
3. A communication interface (communication I/F) 31 is provided to receive information from A-4. The communication I/F 31 connects the monitor 33 ₁ ,
33 ₂ , 33 ₃ , 33 ₄ . Further, a memory 34 and a light pen 35 are connected to the control unit 32 .

At the diagnostic information terminal station A-1 in the transendoscopic television system, the endoscope 12 is inserted into the patient's body cavity, and the transendoscope image is captured by the television camera 14.
When an image is captured by the television camera 14, the video signal from the television camera 14 is input to the CCU 15 and subjected to signal processing. CCU
The video signal processed by 15 is sent to monitor 1.
6, the transendoscopic image is displayed on the monitor 16. Further, the video signal is stored in the memory 18 as necessary. In this case, data such as date, patient name, age, sex, and imaged region, as well as a search code are stored together with the video signal of the transendoscopic image. still,
The above data and search code are input using the keyboard 20 or a light pen.

In addition to the real-time transendoscopic image displayed on the monitor 16, for example, if past transendoscopic images are needed to understand the progress of the disease, the keyboard 20
When a necessary image search code is input, the control section 19 searches the memory 18 for the corresponding video signal. The searched video signal is read out from the memory 18, is supplied to the monitor 16 via the CCU 15, and is reproduced as a transendoscopic image. At this time, the past image, that is, the image of the memory 18, and the raw image, that is, the image of the television camera 14, may be selectively switched and reproduced on the monitor 16, or the two images may be displayed simultaneously.

When the video signal is supplied to the communication I/F 17, this video signal is transmitted to the central station B. Central station B
The communication I/F 31 inputs the transmitted video signal to the control unit 32. The control unit 32 is, for example, a monitor 33.
₁ , the video signal is reproduced as a transendoscopic image. For example, a skilled doctor at the central station B uses, for example, a telephone line while observing the transendoscopic image on the monitor ₃₃₁ to conduct a joint diagnosis with the doctor at the terminal station A-1.

A wide variety of transendoscopy information and other medical information are centrally stored in the memory 34 of the central station B, and doctors at the central station B can access the memory 34 as needed.
Desired transendoscopy information is searched for and displayed on the monitor ₃₃₂ , for example. In this case, the search is performed by the control unit 3.
This is done by 2. The information in the memory 34 of the central station B can be transmitted to the terminal station A-1 as required.

When a skilled doctor at central station B observes transendoscopy information from terminal station A-1 in real time and it becomes necessary to close up a specific part of the image or change the position of the imaged area, the doctor uses a light pen. 35 allows the desired location to be designated. The doctor at the terminal station A-1 and the doctor at the central station B operate the endoscope 12 to perform a close-up of a specific region or change the imaging location according to the request. If necessary, the transendoscopic image is stored in the memory 34 and used as new file information. Furthermore, if medical test information other than image information, such as biopsy information, is required, this information is obtained at the terminal station A-1 and transmitted to the central station B. Based on this endoscopic information, accurate diagnosis and treatment can be performed in real time in collaboration with a skilled doctor.

If the transendoscopic information is filed in this way, prompt retrieval can be performed, and transendoscopic images can be recorded and reproduced as moving images, improving the promptness and accuracy of diagnosis. In addition, the real-time image can be matched to the angle of past images, making it easier to perform comparative diagnosis.

Here, other terminal stations A-2, A-3, A-
Similarly to terminal station A-1, terminal station A-4 also performs data communication with central station B, and joint diagnosis can be performed in real time. At this time, the central station B centrally records transendoscopy information and other medical information generated at the terminal stations A-1 to A-4, etc. in the memory 34, and searches and reads the information as necessary. It can be transmitted to the terminal station that requires it.

If it is desired to observe the image as a still image, the still image can be obtained by performing the well-known still readout.

Note that transendoscopy information is being sent from the terminal station to the central station, and as shown in FIG.
is provided, and from the central station B to the terminal stations A-1 to A-4
The transendoscopic image may also be transmitted to the patient. Furthermore, information stored in the memory 34 (FIG. 1) can be transmitted as necessary. With such a configuration, it is possible to exchange information between a doctor at the central station and a doctor at the terminal station, or to provide practical training in transendoscopic image diagnosis by a skilled doctor at the central station.

In the case shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a television camera 14 is attached to the eyepiece of the endoscope 12, and a video signal is obtained from the television camera 14. However, as shown in FIG. 3, a solid-state imaging device is used. ,for example
A CCD image sensor 24 is installed at the tip of the endoscope,
The video signal from this CCD image sensor 24
It may also be guided to the CCU 15. in this case,
The CCD image sensor 24 is guided to the light source unit 23 via a transmission line 25 inside the endoscope 12.
The video signal output section of this light source unit 23 is the CCU.
15. Note that the transmission line 25 terminates at the operating section 12a of the endoscope 12, and this operating section 12a
The transmission line termination may be connected to the CCU 15.

Although the central station has a large number of monitors, one monitor may be used, and the control unit may selectively switch the video signals sent from the terminal station and input them to the monitor.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and shows the above-mentioned multifunctional transendoscopic diagnostic apparatus for the terminal station or central station. According to this device, CCU1
Not only the television camera 14 but also a data input unit 41 are connected to the input section 5. CCU
The output section 15 is connected to a small capacity disk memory 42 and a large capacity disk memory 43. The small-capacity disk memory 42 records transendoscopic images generated during diagnosis, and the large-capacity disk memory 43 stores not only a large number of transendoscopic images generated in the past, but also endoscopic photographs, X-ray photographs, etc. recorded. monitor 44
reproduces the video signal from the CCU 15 or the memory 42 as a transendoscopic image. Monitor 45 is CCU
15 or the transendoscopic image in the memory 42 and the memory 4
3 past endoscopic images can be displayed simultaneously. The video signal in the memory 42 is sent to the video printer 4.
6, the transendoscopic image is printed out. When the video signal is input to the transmission unit 47, the video signal is transmitted to a desired station via a telephone line of a transmitter, for example, a telephone 48.

The data input unit 41 may consist of a keyboard or a word processor, and is used to input desired data, such as date, patient name, sex, age, etc., onto the transendoscopic image.

According to the transendoscopic diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 4, various diagnostic information can be transmitted, and the accuracy of diagnosis can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the CCU 15, data input unit 41, memory 42, and monitor 44 are configured as separate bodies, but they may be configured to be integrated. Furthermore, the video signal is provided at the tip of the endoscope 12 as shown in FIG.
It may also be obtained by a CCD image sensor.

As explained above, according to the present invention, transendoscopic image information is filed in the memory, searched for, read out, and displayed as necessary, so that the progress of the disease can be quickly grasped in transendoscopic diagnosis. In addition, information can be quickly and easily exchanged between hospitals, improving the quality of diagnosis, and images accumulated in the past and images currently being examined can be easily compared and diagnosed. This will greatly contribute to improving diagnostic accuracy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows the schematic configuration of a transendoscopic information filing system, Figure 2 shows the schematic configuration of another transendoscopic information filing system, and Figure 3 shows a system with a built-in CCD image sensor. A diagram showing a schematic configuration of a transendoscopic information filing system using an endoscope, and FIG. 4 shows a transendoscopic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention used in the transendoscopic information filing system. FIG. A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4...Transendoscopic diagnosis terminal station, B...Transendoscopic diagnosis central station, 11...
...Transendoscopic diagnostic device, 12... Endoscope, 14...
Television camera, 15...CCU, 16...
Monitor, 17...Communication I/F, 31...Communication I/F
F, 32...control unit, 33 ₁ , 33 ₂ , 33 ₃ , 3
3 ₄ ...Monitor, 35...Light pen.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An endoscope, an imaging means provided in the endoscope that outputs a video signal corresponding to a transendoscopic image, and a display means for displaying a transendoscopic image based on the video signal. a first memory means for storing a video signal corresponding to the transendoscopic image together with at least a search code; and a first readout for retrieving and reading out the video signal of the desired transendoscopic image from the first memory means. a second memory means that is communicatively connected to the first memory means and stores at least transendoscopic images past the current one; and a second memory means that stores a desired stored image from the second memory means. a second readout means for searching and reading out a video signal corresponding to a transendoscopic image captured in real time by the imaging means or a video signal read out from the first memory means; A transendoscopic information filing system comprising means for inputting a video signal read from a memory means to the display means. 2. The transendoscopic information filing system according to claim 1, wherein the first memory means has a smaller capacity than the second memory means.