Abstract: An intraluminal endoscope inserting method according to the present invention is a method of forming a first opening in a wall of a first luminal organ while observing optical and ultrasonic images formed by an ultrasonic endoscope inserted into a first luminal organ through a natural opening, forming a second opening in a wall of a desired second luminal organ adjacent to the first luminal organ through an abdominal cavity space from the first opening, leading the ultrasonic endoscope into a second luminal organ from a second opening and performing observation and treatment, and after the treatment and the like, stitching the openings. This makes it possible to insert the endoscope with a skill same as that required for a normal endoscope test and makes it easy to insert the endoscope even into luminal organs irregularly connected to with one another in a body cavity.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an insertion portion having a distal end portion and at least two channels; an optical observation system provided on one surface of the distal end portion so as to face an axial direction different from a direction of an insertion axis X of the insertion portion; a first channel opening provided on one surface of the distal end portion near the optical observation system; an ultrasound transducer array provided on the one surface of the distal end portion and having a scanning surface Z parallel to the insertion axis; and a second channel opening provided on a proximal end side of the ultrasound transducer array.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an insertion portion having a distal end portion and at least two channels; an optical observation system provided on one surface of the distal end portion so as to face an axial direction different from a direction of an insertion axis X of the insertion portion; a first channel opening provided on one surface of the distal end portion near the optical observation system; an ultrasound transducer array provided on the one surface of the distal end portion and having a scanning surface Z parallel to the insertion axis; and a second channel opening provided on a proximal end side of the ultrasound transducer array.

Abstract: An intraluminal endoscope inserting method according to the present invention is a method of forming a first opening in a wall of a first luminal organ while observing optical and ultrasonic images formed by an ultrasonic endoscope inserted into a first luminal organ through a natural opening, forming a second opening in a wall of a desired second luminal organ adjacent to the first luminal organ through an abdominal cavity space from the first opening, leading the ultrasonic endoscope into a second luminal organ from a second opening and performing observation and treatment, and after the treatment and the like, stitching the openings. This makes it possible to insert the endoscope with a skill same as that required for a normal endoscope test and makes it easy to insert the endoscope even into luminal organs irregularly connected to with one another in a body cavity.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope comprises an ultrasonic probe where a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting/receiving ultrasounds are arranged in a nearly cylindrical form, a distal rigid section which configures the tip of an endoscopic insertion tube and in which the ultrasonic probe is provided, a bending tube to which the distal rigid section is connected and which bends with remote operation, a flexible tube connected to the bending tube, and a signal line bundle which is a bundle of signal lines corresponding to respective ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting a drive signal driving each of the ultrasonic transducer elements and which passes through the insides of the distal rigid section, the bending tube, and the flexible tube.

Abstract: A light scanning device has a tip structure which includes a light scanning part connected to a light source, and which is insertable into a body cavity and is formed so as to be water-tight. A controlling part controls the light scan through the tip structure, and the tip structure and the controlling part are also connected to each other in a water-tight manner by a slender tube through which a plurality of electrical cables pass. An electric connector is fixed with the proximal end portion of the tube in a water-tight manner, and is electrically connectable so as to be water-tight with and removable from this controlling part.

Abstract: A low coherence beam emitted by a low coherence light source is split into two portions. One portion is transmitted from the outward end of a first single mode fiber via a detachable connector to a beam scanning probe, and then to a biological tissue; and the other is transmitted from an optical coupler placed midway along the light path via a second single mode fiber to a light path modifier. The light path modifier includes a galvanometer mirror to modify the light path length in accordance with a scan range, and a uniaxial stage to adjust the light path length to absorb the variation in lengths of different beam scanning probes. The light path is adjusted by the uniaxial stage such that the beam interference is detected for the scan range, to ensure stable acquisition of tomographic images.