JPH063600A - Microscope system with macroscopic video function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an efficient observation by displaying the whole image of the a sample and to improve the efficiency of the re-inspection of the same sample by image filing. CONSTITUTION:A microscope part 2 has an X-Y stage 201 controlled with the electric signal of an information processing part 1 and a TV camera 203 photographing a sample mounted on an X-Y stage 201, a macroscopic video input part 3 has an X-Y stage 303 controlled with an electric signal from the information processing part 1 and a TV camera 301 photographing the macroscopic image of a sample mounted on the X-Y stage 303, and a TV monitor part 4 displays TV images from the microscope part 2 and macroscopic image fetching part 3. Then a frame memory 102 displays a specific pattern on the image displayed by the TV monitoring part 4 and when the specific pattern is sets at a desired position on the screen by using a pointing device 103, the X-Y stages 201 and 303 automatically are moved to desired image pickup positions.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscope system mainly used for medical and biological microscope observation, and particularly to a macroscopic observation for easily performing a microscope observation by using a macroscopic image of a specimen for stage operation of the microscope. The present invention relates to a microscope system having a dynamic image function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in microscopic observation, particularly in observing tissue specimens in pathological diagnosis and biology, the whole image of a sample such as a slide, that is, at what position on the slide, what size, shape and color should be observed. It is said that understanding what is listed is important for efficient observation without oversight.

In order to grasp the whole image of the slide, it is common to observe with a naked eye or a magnifying glass before entering the speculum, and the slide is copied with a copy machine or an instant photograph is taken. It is also taken at. Further, images of a region important for diagnosis and observation and a region desired to be recorded are individually recorded in the image recording device.

[0004]

As described above, as a method for grasping the whole image of the preparation, visual observation or a method according to it has been adopted. However, when relying on visual observation, it is necessary to memorize the entire image of the slide during the speculum.

The copy and polaroid photograph can be viewed at hand as needed, but the image quality is poor and it is difficult to clarify the correspondence with the observation image of the microscope. It doesn't help very much. Even if the user views the entire image of the sample and decides the position to be observed with the microscope, it takes time and effort to move the stage to the desired position.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable an observer to perform efficient observation without observing with the naked eye and to achieve more efficient image filing. Therefore, the efficiency of re-examination of the same sample is to be improved significantly.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a microscope system having a macroscopic image function of the present invention comprises a first XY stage means controlled by an electric signal and the first XY stage means. Microscope means having a first television camera means for photographing a sample installed on the XY stage means, a second XY stage means controlled by an electric signal, and the second XY stage means. A macroscopic image capturing means having a second television camera means for capturing a macroscopic image of a sample installed on the Y stage means, and a monitor for displaying a television image from the microscope means and the macroscopic image capturing means. Means, frame memory means for displaying a predetermined pattern on an image displayed on the monitor means, and a predetermined pattern displayed by the frame memory means. On the display screen of the monitor means, and pointing device means for setting to a desired position, and the entire image of the sample is observed on the display screen of the monitor means, and the position to be observed by the pointing means on the screen. Is specified by the predetermined pattern, the information processing means having a control means for automatically moving the first and second XY stages to a desired position. Is characterized by.

[0008]

That is, in the microscope system having the macroscopic image function of the present invention, the movement of the first XY stage means in the microscope means is controlled by an electric signal, and the first XY stage means is moved to the first XY stage means. The mounted sample is photographed by the first television camera means. The movement of the second XY stage means in the macroscopic image capturing means is controlled by an electric signal, and the macroscopic image of the sample placed on the second XY stage means is the second television. Taken by camera means. Further, the television image from the microscope means and macroscopic image capturing means is displayed by the monitor means, the frame memory means displays a predetermined pattern on the displayed image, and the pointing device means displays the predetermined pattern. When the predetermined pattern is moved on the display screen and set at a desired position, the control means causes the first and second patterns to be moved.
The X-Y stage means is automatically moved to a desired position.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, an outline of a microscope system having a macroscopic image function of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the microscope system having the macroscopic image function of the present invention is roughly classified into an information processing unit 1, a microscope unit 2, a macroscopic image capturing unit 3, a TV monitor unit 4, and a video signal. It is configured by the switching unit 5.

First, the information processing section 1 uses the menu 10
1, a frame memory 102, a pointing device 103, a monitor 104, and an external storage unit 105, which is not an essential component.

The microscope unit 2 is an optical microscope to which an XY stage 201 controlled by an electric signal is added. Other than these, the objective lens switching unit 202 and the TV camera 203 are not essential constitutional requirements. have.

Further, the macroscopic image capturing section 3 is
A TV camera 301, a stand and a platform 302 for supporting the TV camera 301, an XY stage 303 for mounting a sample and controlled by an electric signal, and
It has a transmission illumination unit 304 for illuminating the sample.

The TV monitor unit 4 is for displaying TV images generated from the macroscopic image capturing unit 3 and the microscope unit 2 and for displaying various image patterns generated from the information processing unit 1. is there.

Further, the video signal switching section 5 is
It is used to switch signals from the TV cameras 203 and 301 on the side of the microscope unit 2 and on the side of the macroscopic image capturing unit 3, and is not an essential constituent element.

These respective parts are connected as follows. That is, the XY stage 201 and the objective lens switching unit 202 in the microscope unit 2 are connected to the information processing unit 1 via a general communication interface such as RS-232C, GP-IB, parallel, serial, etc. It operates by receiving an electric signal generated from the processing unit 1.

The XY stage 303 in the macroscopic image capturing section 3 is similarly connected to the information processing section 1 by a general communication interface and operates by receiving an electric signal generated from the information processing section 1. The TV camera 301 is connected to the frame memory 102 in the information processing section 1.

Further, the video signal from the TV camera 301 is once sent to the frame memory 102, and from there, further sent to the TV monitor section 4 to display the video.
Further, various video patterns generated from the information processing section 1 are written in the frame memory 102 and then sent to the TV monitor section 4 for display.

When two TV cameras 203 and 301 are provided, the TV cameras 203 and 301 are connected to the frame memory 102 via the video signal switching unit 5.
And the selected video signal is connected to the frame memory 10
It is sent to the TV monitor unit 4 via 2 and an observation image is displayed.

As described above, in the microscope system equipped with the macroscopic image function of the present invention, the entire image of the slide is displayed by T
By observing as a V image on the screen of the TV monitor unit 4 and designating a position to be observed on the screen, the XY stage 2
The feature is that 01 is automatically moved to a desired position. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system having a macroscopic image function according to the first embodiment.

As shown in the figure, a monitor 12, a keyboard 13, a frame memory 14, and a mouse 15 are connected to the personal computer 11, respectively. The monitor 12 may be a workstation, and the frame memory 14 may be a computer built-in type. If the main memory of the personal computer 11 has a sufficient capacity, it may be used instead.

Further, the mouse 15 can be replaced with a trackball, a digitizer, or a touch pen, and a specific key such as an arrow key on the keyboard 13 can be used instead of these pointing devices.

The personal computer 11 is connected to the electric objective lens revolver 17 and the electric XY stage 18 of the optical microscope 16 by a communication interface such as RS-232C, GP-IB, serial or parallel. ing. The frame memory 14 is connected to a color TV camera 19, and the color TV camera 19 is provided with a lens 20. Here, a lens for a single-lens reflex camera is suitable for photographing the entire image of the slide, and in this embodiment, it is 50 m.
m macro lens was used, and it was attached to the color TV camera 19 using a C-mount adapter. The lens 2
0 may be a standard lens, a telephoto lens, a zoom lens, or the like as long as the required angle of view can be obtained. The color TV camera 19 is supported by a platform 21 and a camera stand 22, and the platform 21 is vertically movable along a column of the stand 22.

The XY stage 24, on which the sample is placed and which can be controlled by an electric signal, is connected to the personal computer 11 by a general interface like the XY stage 18 on the microscope side. . The XY stage 24 may be a manual type as long as it has a scale with sufficient accuracy in the XY directions.
In that case, the connection between the stage and the computer becomes unnecessary. An illumination unit 23 for illuminating the sample from below is provided below the XY stage 24.

In addition, the frame memory 14 is also connected to a color TV monitor 25. If the monitor 12 has a sufficient resolution and a sufficient number of pixels, a microscope image is displayed and the color TV monitor 25 is detached. You can also

In such a configuration, the following method is used to make the position on the slide image obtained by the macroscopic image capturing section coincide with the position on the XY stage 18 on the microscope side.

First, a regular pattern for alignment,
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a slide 40 having a cross line 41 and a correction line 42 for distance correction is prepared. The cross line 41 and the correction line 42 are drawn at a constant interval, for example, 1 mm. Next, as shown in FIG.
A cross line 43 is displayed in the center of the screen of the TV monitor unit 4 using the frame memory 14. Then, after the operator mounts the slide for alignment on the XY stage 24 of the macroscopic image capturing unit and moves the platform 21 up and down to set the required angle of view, the crosshairs 41 and 43 are colored. The XY stage 24 is adjusted so as to match on the TV monitor screen 45.

The stage coordinates at that time are transmitted to the personal computer 11 via the communication interface and stored therein. Let these coordinates be (x1, y1), and (x
1, y1) is expressed in μ (micron) units.

Next, the operator uses the mouse 15 to indicate the intersection of the cross line 41 and the correction line 42, and the color T at that time is displayed.
The X coordinate is the coordinate on the V monitor 25. From the set of these two XY coordinates, it is easy to know how many pixels on the color TV monitor 25 the distance of 1 mm on the slide, that is, 1000 μ corresponds to.

When the number of pixels of the color TV monitor 25 in the X direction is M, the number of pixels corresponding to 1 mm is M / 2.
-X3 pixels. Or the length of one pixel is 1000 /
(M / 2−x3) μ. If you use this value, color T
The coordinates of the position designated by the mouse 15 on the XY stage 24 on the V monitor 25 can be obtained. Next, the slide is placed on the XY stage 18 on the microscope side, and an XY stage is used so that the crosshair 41 is located at the center of the field of view of the eyepiece by using an objective lens of appropriate magnification, for example, 10 times. Adjust 18 and store the stage coordinates (x2, y2) at that time in the personal computer.

As a result, the displacement between the two stages is (x2-x1) μ in the X direction and (y2-y1) in the Y direction.
It turns out that it is μ. XY stage 18 on the microscope side
It can be seen that the coordinates of are the values obtained by subtracting these numerical values from the coordinates of the XY stage 24 on the macroscopic image capturing side. Then, by designating an arbitrary position on the entire preparation image of the color TV monitor 25, its coordinates on the XY stage 18 on the microscope side can be calculated. The actual observation operation of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6. After performing the alignment as described above, the observation is started (step S101).

First, the worker performs a preparation on stage 2
4 (step S102). At this time, the whole image of the slide was shot by the color TV camera 19,
The video captured by the frame memory 14 is displayed on the color TV monitor 25 (step S1).
03).

Next, the observer moves the slide to the XY stage 18 on the microscope side (step S104). Then, after the magnification of the objective lens is designated (step S10
5) The observer selects a menu displayed on the monitor 12 to display a rectangular frame for designating an observation area on the color TV monitor 25 (step S106).

FIG. 7 shows an example of the menu screen at this time, and when the magnification of the objective lens is designated, a rectangular frame having a width corresponding to the field of view is displayed on the color TV monitor 25.

In this way, the observer uses the mouse 15 to move the rectangular frame on the color TV monitor 25 and clicks the mouse button to specify the observation position (step S107).

Thus, when the designation is completed, the personal computer 11 calculates the coordinates of the designated position (step S108), sends the signal to the XY stage 18, and also sends the signal to the objective lens revolver 17. , XY stage 18 moves to the target site, and the objective lens is switched (steps S109 and S11).
0). However, in the first embodiment, switching of the objective lens is performed manually.

Then, when observing another part, the process returns to step S105, and when not observing another part, the process proceeds to step S112 (step S111), and all the operations are finished (step S112).

As described above, in the microscope system having the macroscopic image function according to the first embodiment, the observation position on the slide image on the color TV monitor 25 is increased in order to perform observation by the microscope more efficiently. In addition, the observation magnification can be specified at the same time, so that the XY stage 1
The feature is that the movement of 8 is automated. next,
A microscope system having a macroscopic image function according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment.

As shown in the figure, the second embodiment has a TV camera 26 and two TV cameras 1 in the configuration of the first embodiment.
The video signal switching unit 27 used to select the signals from 9 and 26 is further provided.
The actual observation of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 10.

Observation is started (step S201). First, in step S202, the switch of the video signal switching section 27 is set to the side for receiving the input from the TV camera 19.

Subsequently, the operator places the slide on the XY stage 24 (step S203). At this time, the entire image of the slide is photographed by the color TV camera 19 and is captured in the frame memory 14, and the captured image is displayed on the color TV monitor 25 (step S204).

Then, after taking the entire image of the slide, the operator mounts the slide on the XY stage 18 on the microscope side (step S205), and switches the switch of the video signal switching unit 27 to the TV camera 26 side. (Step S206). Next, the magnification of the objective lens is designated (step S207), and a rectangle corresponding to the field of view of the designated magnification is displayed on the color TV monitor 25 (step S208). Then, as in the first embodiment, a region to be observed by a microscope is designated on the entire image of the slide displayed on the color TV monitor 25 (step S2).
09).

When this designation is completed, the personal computer 11 calculates the coordinates (step S210),
Signals for moving the XY stage 18 and switching the objective lens are generated (steps S211 and S21).
2).

The signal from the TV camera 26, that is,
The microscope enlarged image is displayed on the TV monitor 25 through the frame memory 14. At this time, the entire image of the slide slide previously captured is stored in the frame memory 14.

If the frame memory 14 is frozen, it becomes impossible to adjust the focus and the aperture while watching the color TV monitor 25. Therefore, when displaying the magnified microscope image on the color TV monitor 25, the frame memory 14 is not displayed. 14 is set to the transparent mode (step S213).

Next, the focus and diaphragm of the microscope 16 are adjusted (step S214). Also, the enlarged image of the microscope is X-
Color TV monitor 25 after Y stage movement is completed
It was output to. This is important in the sense of preventing seasickness caused by a TV image on a microscope.

After observing the enlarged image of the designated area in this way, the viewer selects the menu screen and again displays the entire image of the slides stored in the frame memory 14 on the color TV monitor 25 (step S216). ,
The above series of observation work can be repeated.

As described above, in the microscope system having the macroscopic image function according to the second embodiment, the microscope image is displayed on the color TV monitor 25 to prevent the fatigue of the observer. Is. In this case, the entire slide image is stored in the frame memory 14 and can be displayed on the color TV monitor 25 as needed.

Of course, the observation position can be designated on this entire image, as in the systems of the first and second modes. In addition, in the present embodiment, which position of the slide corresponds to each image was recorded, and the positional relationship between the recorded images was clarified. Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The third embodiment is the same as the second embodiment shown in FIG. 8 except that the external storage device is connected to the personal computer 11 shown in FIG. See the second embodiment above for configuration. Hereinafter, with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 11 and 12, the image capturing and storing according to the third embodiment will be described. The operation procedure in the third embodiment is the same as the operation in the second embodiment except steps S315 and S316, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

In steps S315 and 316, the operator operates the menu screen to capture the microscope image displayed on the color TV monitor 25 and saves it in the external storage device. This saved image is the entire image of the slide, the observation region designated on the image by the operator, and the microscope image thereof. After observing, these are reproduced and played back on the color TV monitor 2.
It can be displayed in 5.

The personal computer 11
In addition, if the image compression / decompression function is provided by software or hardware, the image can be compressed and stored, so that the capacity of the external storage device can be saved. Next, the reproduction display will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When reproduction display is started (step S40)
1) First, a sample to be reproduced is designated (step S4).
02), the macroscopic image is read (step S40).
3). Then, the information of the microscope enlarged observation position coordinate and the magnification is read (step S404), and a macroscopic image is displayed (step S405). Then, a rectangular frame representing the microscope observation position is displayed on the macroscopic image (step S406),
An arbitrary rectangular frame is designated by the mouse 15 (step S
407).

The microscope image corresponding to the rectangular frame thus designated is read, reproduced and displayed (step S40).
8), when observing another microscope image, step S4
If the observation is not performed, the process proceeds to step S410 (step S409), and all operations are finished (step S410). As described above, the microscope system having the macroscopic image function according to the third embodiment is characterized by having the image filing function. Next, a microscope system having a macroscopic image function according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The system configuration of the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the operation procedure for saving is also exactly the same. However, the fourth embodiment is characterized in that the microscope image is not stored, but only the entire slide image, the microscope observation position, and the magnification at that time are stored.

Further, when observing the same slide again using these data, the operator operates the menu screen to display the predetermined slide whole image on the color TV monitor 25. At this time, the personal computer 11 reads the microscope observation position and the magnification at the previous observation stored in the external storage device, and draws a rectangular frame corresponding to the visual field of the magnification on the entire preparation image.

When the operator sets the slide on the XY stage 18 on the microscope side and designates an arbitrary rectangular frame on the screen with the mouse 15, the operator controls the XY stage on the microscope side and the objective revolver. A signal is sent, and it is set at a predetermined position and a predetermined objective lens, and a microscope image is displayed on the color TV monitor 25.

As described above, in the microscope system having the macroscopic image function according to the fourth embodiment, when it is necessary to observe the same preparation again, it is necessary to use ink or a pen on the bar glass as in the conventional case. Only the information of the microscope observation position is stored without taking the method of putting a mark to indicate the attention site, and when observing the same preparation again, the XY position is automatically adjusted to the position observed in the previous observation. Stage 18
Is characterized in that the objective lens is switched by moving.

As described in detail above, in the microscope system having the macroscopic image function of the present invention, the entire image of the slide is observed as a TV image on the monitor screen, and the position to be observed is designated on the monitor screen. , XY stage can be automatically moved to a desired position.

[0059]

According to the present invention, by displaying the entire image of the sample on the monitor, it is possible to perform efficient observation without observing with the naked eye and storing it, and to achieve more efficient image filing. As a result, it is possible to provide a microscope system having a macroscopic image function, which greatly improves the efficiency of reinspection of the same sample.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a microscope system having a macroscopic image function of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system having a macroscopic image function according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a slide for position correction.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a correction state in which a crosshair 41 of a slide for position correction displayed on a TV monitor unit 4 and a crosshair 43 written on a frame memory are overlapped.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining magnification setting according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system having a macroscopic image function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation regarding reproduction display in the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Information processing unit, 2 ... Microscope, 3 ... Macroscopic image capturing unit, 4 ... Monitor unit, 5 ... Video signal switching unit, 11 ...
Personal computer, 12 ... Personal computer monitor,
13 ... Keyboard, 14 ... Frame memory, 15 ... Mouse, 16 ... Optical type, microscope, 17 ... Objective lens revolver, 18 ... XY stage, 19 ... TV camera, 20 ...
Lens, 21 ... Platform, 22 ... Stand, 23 ... Illumination part,
24 ... XY stage, 25 ... Color TV monitor, 26
... TV camera, 27 ... video signal switching unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first XY controlled by an electrical signal.
Microscope means having stage means, first television camera means for photographing the sample installed on the first XY stage means, and second XY stage means controlled by electric signals. A macroscopic image capturing means having a second television camera means for capturing a macroscopic image of the sample installed on the second XY stage means; and a microscope means and a macroscopic image capturing means. The video signal switching means for switching the input of the television image, the monitor means for displaying one of the television images from the microscope means and the macroscopic image capturing means via the video signal switching means, and the monitor means. A pattern indicating a predetermined area is displayed on the displayed image, and the pattern is displayed according to the information of the area specified by the pattern. Display control means for setting the first and second XY stages to desired positions and the pattern displayed on the display screen of the monitor means by the display control means are moved to desired positions. An information processing unit having a pointing device unit for setting, and a microscope system having a macroscopic image function.