JPH0595890A - Distance measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a distance measuring device which can easily measure the size of an object without enlarging the outside shape of an endoscope inserting part of a minor scale system constitution suitable for routine inspection as everyday works. CONSTITUTION:A distance measuring device comprises a spouting means 103 to spout an electrolytic solution 102 from the tip of a catheter 100, a 1st electrode 105 contacting the electrolytic solution 102 spouted from the means 103 and fixed to the tip of the catheter, a 2nd electrode 104 which is to insert the catheter 100 into a cavity and contact the 1st electrode electrically with the cavity wall 101 through the electrolytic solution in order to feed the current to inside of the body, and a measuring means 106 which is to feed current between the 1st and 2nd electrodes 105, 104 and measure the inter-electrode resistance, voltage, or current.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distance measuring device for measuring the distance between a body cavity wall observed by an endoscope and the tip of the endoscope and the size of an arbitrary object observed on the body cavity wall. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 63-63 discloses a method for measuring the distance between a body cavity wall observed by an endoscope and the tip of the endoscope and the size of an arbitrary object observed on the body cavity wall. Two
There is a stereo endoscope apparatus as proposed in Japanese Patent No. 01618.

This stereoscopic endoscope apparatus includes an image pickup means for picking up a subject image obtained from a plurality of viewpoints on the endoscope body, and image data and a viewpoint of the subject at the plurality of viewpoints obtained by the image pickup means. An image processing means for obtaining three-dimensional information of the subject based on the distance data.

[0004]

However, such a stereoscopic endoscope apparatus requires two sets of image pickup optical systems including an objective lens, an image guide, an image pickup element, and the like, and therefore, the stereoscopic endoscope apparatus is not provided outside the endoscope insertion section. The diameter was large, the insertability of the endoscope was poor, the patient's pain increased, and it was difficult to use in routine examination.

Further, the system body of the stereoscopic endoscope system becomes a large-scale system for processing the images obtained from the two image pickup optical systems, and it is also difficult to use it in the routine examination.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can be applied to a routine inspection that is a daily inspection in which the size of an object can be easily measured without increasing the outer diameter of the endoscope insertion portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a distance measuring device having a suitable small-scale system configuration.

[0007]

According to the distance measuring device of the present invention, when the electrolyte solution is sprayed in a columnar shape, the electric resistance per unit length becomes constant if the thickness of the columnar is constant. Based on the basic principle that the column length of the electrolyte solution can be obtained by continuously ejecting a column of electrolyte solution having a thickness and measuring the resistance thereof, as shown in FIG. The jetting means 103 for jetting, the first electrode 105 provided in the tip of the catheter, which is in contact with the electrolyte solution 102 jetted from the jetting means 103, and the catheter 100 are inserted into a body cavity, and The first electrode is placed in contact with the body surface at a position facing the first electrode 105 in order to electrically contact the body cavity wall 101 via the electrolyte solution and to pass an electric current in the body. And the measuring means 106 for measuring the resistance value or the voltage between the electrodes or the current flowing between the electrodes by supplying electricity between the first electrode 105 and the second electrode 104. I have it.

[0008]

[Operation] The measuring means 106 conducts electricity between the first electrode 105 and the second electrode 104, and measures a resistance value or voltage between the electrodes or a current flowing between the electrodes.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of a distance measuring device,
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the configurations of the endoscope and the distal end portion of the catheter used in the distance measuring device, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the catheter used in the distance measuring device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the distance measuring device has, for example, a channel for inserting a treatment tool such as forceps into a body cavity and providing a solid-state image pickup device for picking up an image of a desired observation site in the body cavity at the distal end. 2 and a signal processing device 22 for signal-processing an image pickup signal from the electronic endoscope 1.
And an observation monitor 23 that displays an observation image processed by the signal processing device 22, a catheter 3 made of a medical tube inserted through the channel 2, and a catheter 9 stored in the reservoir 9 in the catheter 3, for example, A pump 8 that supplies an electrolyte solution 10 such as a physiological saline solution, and a counter electrode that energizes between the observation site in the body cavity and the body surface via the electrolyte solution 10 supplied to the tip of the catheter 3 by the pump 8. The measuring device 7 for measuring the voltage between the observation site and the body surface by 16, the A / D converter 19 for A / D converting the voltage measured by the measuring device 7, and the A / D converter 19 And a computer 20 for processing measurement data of digital signals.

The measuring device 7 includes a pump control device 11 for controlling the pump 8, a constant current source 14 for supplying a constant current between the observation site in the body cavity and the body surface, and the constant current source 1
4, a voltage measuring means 15 for measuring the voltage between the observation site in the body cavity and the body surface by a constant current supplied by 4, and the pump control device 11, constant current source 14 and voltage measuring means 1 described above.
5 and a power supply 12 for supplying electric power. Further, for example, a foot switch 13 for control is connected to the pump control device 11 so that the supply of the electrolyte solution 10 into the catheter 3 can be easily controlled.

The catheter 3 is provided with a branch member 6 for introducing the electric wire 5 connected to one electrode of the constant current source 14 into the catheter 3, and the electric wire 17 is provided to the other electrode of the constant current source 14. And the counter electrode plate 16 is connected to the tip of the electric wire 17.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the electronic endoscope 1 has the catheter 3 inserted through the channel 2.
Can project forward from the front end surface of the electronic endoscope. At the tip of the catheter 3, an electrically conductive nozzle 4 also serving as an electrode is provided with an outer wall in close contact with the inner wall of the catheter, and the nozzle 4 is connected to the electric wire 5 at the proximal end side. There is. Therefore, the nozzle 4
The body cavity wall 24 between the nozzle 4 and the counter electrode plate 16 is located by arranging the counter electrode plate 16 at the position where the tip end faces each other.
Can be energized via.

The operation of the distance measuring device thus constructed will be described.

A catheter 3 is inserted into a channel 2 of an electronic endoscope 1 inserted into a body cavity such as the stomach.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the catheter 3 is projected from the tip of the electronic endoscope 2, and the nozzle 4 provided at the tip of the catheter 3 is pressed against the body cavity wall 24. In this state, the constant current source 14 energizes the nozzle 4 and the counter plate 16 via the electric wires 5 and 17.

At this time, the constant current of the constant current source 14 is I0
(A), E0 is the voltage measured by the voltage measuring means 15.
Assuming (V), the bioresistance R (body) (Ω) between the nozzle 4 and the counter plate 16 is R (body) = E0 / I0 (1).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the electronic endoscope 1 is viewed in front of the body cavity wall 24 so that the tip surface of the nozzle 4 is aligned with the tip surface of the electronic endoscope 1. Position the catheter 3. In this state, the pump 8 is driven to supply the electrolyte solution 10 in the reservoir 9 to the catheter 3 and jet it from the nozzle 4 toward the body cavity wall 24. At this time, the pump 8 is controlled by the pump control device 11 so that the injected electrolyte solution 10 has a constant thickness and forms a continuous water column.

Further, in this state, the constant current source 14 supplies a constant current I0 (A), and the voltage measuring means 15 measures the voltage E1 (V). When the resistance of the electrolyte solution 19 ejected from the nozzle 4 to the body cavity wall 24 is R (W) (Ω), R (body) + R (W) = E1 / I0 (2)

From equations (1) and (2), R (W) (Ω)
Becomes R (W) (Ω) = (E1−E0) / I0 (3)

Since the electrolyte solution 10 is a water column having a constant thickness and no breaks, the resistance per unit length is constant. If this constant resistance value is R (L) (Ω / mm), then the injection is performed. The length L (mm) of the prepared electrolyte solution 10 is L = R (W) / R (L) = (E1−E0) / (I0 · R (L)) (4).

In this way, L (mm), which is the distance from the distal end surface of the electronic endoscope 1 to the body cavity wall 24, is obtained, and the viewing angle α of the electronic endoscope 1 is known in advance as data. , L and α, the width and area of the observation site, such as a tumor, in the observation image displayed on the observation monitor 23 in FIG. 1 is measured on the screen of the observation monitor 23 to calculate the actual tumor size. The width and area can be determined. In addition, a commonly used electronic endoscope can be used, and the size of a tumor or the like can be measured with a simple system configuration and a routine examination.

An observation monitor, a signal processing device, and a computer may be connected to the above calculation to easily construct a system capable of determining the actual width and area of a tumor by designating an observation image on the observation monitor. can do.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of the main part of the distance measuring device according to the second embodiment.

The distance measuring device according to the second embodiment is almost the same as the distance measuring device according to the first embodiment, except that it uses two kinds of electrolyte solutions having different electric resistance values.

The distance measuring device of the second embodiment is replaced with the reservoir 9 of the first embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 4, a first reservoir 31 containing a first electrolyte solution 34 and a first electrolyte solution. And a second reservoir 35 containing a second electrolyte solution 35 having an electric resistance value different from 34.

The one-hole (one-lumen) catheter 25 is
A first liquid feed tube 27 for feeding the first electrolyte solution 34 into the catheter 25 and a second liquid feed tube 28 for feeding the first electrolyte solution 35 into the catheter 25 by the branching member 26, and It is divided into an electric wire 29 instead of the electric wire 5 of the first embodiment which communicates through the catheter 25.

The base end of the first liquid feeding tube 27 is connected to a first pump 30 for supplying and driving the first electrolyte solution 34 to the catheter 25, and the second liquid feeding tube 28.
At the proximal end of the catheter 25, the second electrolyte solution 35 is applied to the catheter 25.
It is connected to the second pump 32 that is driven to supply. The first pump 30 and the second pump 32 are the pump control device 3
6 to control the supply of the first electrolyte solution 34 or the second electrolyte solution 35 into the catheter 25.

The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the catheter may be attached with a nozzle 4 which also serves as an electrode, and the insulating coating on the tip of the electric wire 29 for feeding the inside of the catheter 25 is peeled off. Alternatively, the nozzle may be eliminated by installing the portion so as to be positioned at the tip of the catheter 25 by, for example, gold plating.

The operation of the distance measuring device of the second embodiment having the above-mentioned structure will be described.

Similar to the first embodiment, in the state shown in FIG. 3, the first pump 30 is driven to move the first electrolyte solution 34 in the first reservoir 31 through the first water supply tube and the catheter 25. It is jetted from the nozzle 4 toward the body cavity wall 24. Therefore, the constant current source 14 supplies a constant current I0 (A), and the voltage measuring means 15 measures the voltage E1 (V).

The voltage E1 (V) is the electric resistance value of the first electrolyte solution 34 per unit length R (L1) (Ω),
The biological resistance between the nozzle 4 and the counter plate 16 is R (body)
(Ω), where L is the length of the water column of the jetted first electrolyte solution 34, E1 = I0 · (L · R (L1) + R (body)) (5)

Next, the first pump 30 is stopped, the second pump 32 is driven, and the second electrolyte solution 35 in the second reservoir 33 is passed through the second water supply tube and the catheter 25 from the nozzle 4 into the body cavity. It jets toward the wall 24. Therefore,
The constant current source 14 supplies a constant current I0 (A), and the voltage measuring means 15 measures the voltage E2 (V).

The voltage E2 (V) is the electric resistance value per unit length of the second electrolyte solution 35 R (L2) (Ω),
The biological resistance between the nozzle 4 and the counter plate 16 is R (body)
(Ω), assuming that the length of the water column of the jetted first electrolyte solution 34 is L (mm), E2 = I0 · (LR · R (L2) + R (body)) (6)

When R (body) is deleted from the equations (5) and (6) and L (mm), which is the distance from the distal end surface of the electronic endoscope 1 to the body cavity wall 24, is obtained, L = (E1 -E2) / {I0. (R (L1) -R (L2))} (7) can be calculated.

Therefore, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the distance measuring device of the second embodiment can perform the measurement without moving the catheter during the measurement.

5 to 7 relate to the third embodiment, FIG. 5 is a structural view showing the structure of the endoscope and the distal end of the catheter used in the distance measuring device, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the structure of the catheter. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a modified example of the nozzle provided at the tip of the catheter.

The distance measuring apparatus of the third embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment except for the construction of the catheter, so only the different construction will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 5, the catheter 39 of the third embodiment has three nozzles 41, 4 which also serve as electrodes at the tip.
2, 43 are attached. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the catheter 39 has a catheter front portion 39a.
The catheter rear portion 39b is connected to the connecting portion 44. A cross section perpendicular to the axis of the catheter front part 39a is shown in FIG. 6 (b), and a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the catheter rear part 39b is shown in FIG. 6 (c).

The catheter front portion 39a and the catheter rear portion 3
9b has a multi-lumen (here, 3 lumen) structure. In the catheter front portion 39a, electric wires 48, 4 are respectively provided in the liquid feeding lumens 45, 46, 47.
9, 50 are inserted. The electric wires 48, 49 and 50 are the electric wire lumens 5 of the catheter rear portion 39b in the connecting portion 44.
It is put together in 1 and inserted. The liquid feeding lumens 52 and 53 of the catheter rear portion 39b are connected to the liquid feeding tubes 27 and 28 of FIG. 4, respectively.

Incidentally, instead of the nozzles 41, 42, 43,
One nozzle 40 having three holes as shown in FIG. 7 may be used.

The other structure is the same as that of the second embodiment.

The operation of the distance measuring device of the third embodiment having the above structure will be described.

By the same operation as in the second embodiment, two kinds of electrolyte solutions were added to the nozzles 41, 42 and 43 in FIG.
It is jetted toward the body cavity wall 38 more. The injection of the electrolyte solution is controlled so that three water columns 54, 55, 56 of the electrolyte solution are formed when the electrolyte solution is injected. The respective distances between the three water columns 54, 55, 56 of the electrolyte solution and the body cavity wall 38 are determined by applying current in the same manner as in the second embodiment.

The origin on the tip surface of the endoscope 37 intersects the optical axis of the objective lens 57, the xy plane is the tip surface of the endoscope 37, and the z axis is the optical axis. Here, it is assumed that the tip of the catheter is always fixed at the same position.

With this setting, the three nozzles 4
The xyz coordinate positions of the tip ends of 1, 42, and 43 are known. Also, the three water columns 54, 55 of the electrolyte solution,
The injection angle of 56 is, for example, with respect to the water column 54 of the electrolyte solution, an angle θ1 on the xy plane (x1y1 plane) of the projection line 54 ′ obtained by projecting the water column 54 of the electrolyte solution on the xy plane,
The angle φ1 formed by the water column 54 of the electrolyte solution with respect to the projection line 54 ′ on the xy plane is known in design, and similarly, regarding the water columns 55 and 56 of the electrolyte solution, θ2, θ3, φ2 in the xyz space, φ3 is known in design.

Further, the three water columns 54, 5 of the electrolyte solution from the tip of each nozzle 41, 42, 43 to the body cavity wall 38.
Since the lengths of 5, 56 are obtained as described above, the coordinate positions of the three contact points between the three water columns 54, 55, 56 of the electrolyte solution and the body cavity wall 38 can be calculated. It can be defined on the xyz coordinates assuming a plane consisting of points.

As a result, similar to the first and second embodiments, the actual width and area S of the object 58 in FIG. 5 can be calculated from the observation image on the observation monitor.

That is, the distance measuring device of the third embodiment is
In addition to the effects of the first and second embodiments, even when the endoscope is not looking directly at the body cavity wall, assuming that the body cavity wall is a plane, the actual width of the object on the body cavity wall and The area S can be calculated.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance measuring apparatus of the present invention is capable of enlarging the outer shape of the endoscope insertion portion of a small-scale system configuration suitable for routine inspection which is a daily inspection. There is an effect that the size of the object can be easily measured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall configuration of a distance measuring device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing configurations of an endoscope and a distal end portion of a catheter used in the distance measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the catheter used in the distance measuring device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a distance measuring device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing configurations of an endoscope and a distal end portion of a catheter used in a distance measuring apparatus according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a catheter according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modified example of the nozzle provided at the tip of the catheter according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual configuration diagram showing a conceptual configuration of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 ... Catheter 4 ... Nozzle 7 ... Measuring device 8 ... Pump 9 ... Reservoir 10 ... Electrolyte solution 11 ... Pump control device 14 ... Constant current source 15 ... Voltage measuring means 16 ... Counter plate

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A jetting means for jetting an electrolyte solution from the tip of a catheter, a first electrode provided at the tip of the catheter in contact with the electrolyte solution jetted from the jetting means, and the catheter. A second electrode that is inserted into a body cavity, electrically contacts the first electrode with the wall of the body cavity via the electrolyte solution, and contacts the first electrode to pass an electric current through the body; and the first electrode A distance measuring device comprising: a measuring unit that conducts electricity between the second electrodes and measures a resistance value or a voltage between the electrodes or a current flowing between the electrodes. 2. In a catheter which can be inserted into a channel of an endoscope, nozzle means for ejecting an electrolyte solution in a substantially columnar shape provided at a tip, and the electrolyte solution provided in the nozzle means or in the vicinity thereof. A catheter, comprising: an electrode that is in contact with the catheter.