Abstract: An image processing device includes: a processor comprising hardware, the processor being configured to calculate an evaluation value of a captured image that is obtained by capturing a subject, determine whether or not the evaluation value is included in a specific extraction range recorded in a memory, extract the captured image as an image of interest including a lesion when the processor has determined that the evaluation value is included in the specific extraction range, and update the specific extraction range based on the evaluation value.

Abstract: An antenna holder includes: an antenna attachment portion attached with a plurality of receiving antennas configured to receive wireless signals transmitted from a medical device introduced into a subject; and a fitting portion where the antenna attachment portion is detachably attached and that is fitted on the subject. The antenna attachment portion includes: a plurality of antenna fixing portions where at least one of positions of the plurality of receiving antennas is fixed; an interlinking portion configured to variably interlink relative positions of the plurality of antenna fixing portions; and a first attachment portion attached to the fitting portion. The fitting portion includes: a second attachment portion where the first attachment portion is detachably attached, the second attachment portion being configured to determine positions of the plurality of antenna fixing portions upon fitting of the plurality of antenna fixing portions on the subject, according to build of the subject.

Abstract: A guidance apparatus includes: a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on a magnet; a magnetic field shielding material configured to shield the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; an operation input device configured to receive an input of at least one of a target position and a target posture for guiding a position and a posture of a capsule medical apparatus; and a controller configured to control the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field that has been corrected to offset or reduce a deviation amount of the position or the posture of the capsule medical apparatus with respect to the target position or the target posture, caused by distortion, due to the magnetic field shielding material, of a magnetic field for guiding the capsule medical apparatus to at least one of the target position and the target posture.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an identification circuit configured to calculate a characteristic of each of a plurality of image groups captured when a capsule endoscope is introduced into a subject multiple times, each image group being a group of images that are captured each time the capsule endoscope is introduced into the subject, and identify, based on the calculated characteristic, a first region or a second region in each image group, the first region being a region that does not include an image of the subject captured by the capsule endoscope, the second region being a region that is regarded as not including the captured image of the subject; and a first specifying circuit configured to specify at least one section of the subject in the image groups, the at least one section including the first region or the second region.

Abstract: A capsule medical device guidance system includes: a capsule medical device including a permanent magnet and configured to be introduced into a subject; a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field to be applied to the capsule medical device; an operation input device configured to input operation information; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: control the magnetic field generator, based on the operation information input from the operation input device, to change the magnetic field to change at least one of the position and the posture of the capsule medical device; obtain control information for the magnetic field generator in a state where forces acting on the capsule medical device are balanced before starting or when starting operation on the operation input device; and control the magnetic field generator by using the control information after the operation is finished.

Abstract: A guidance device includes: a magnetic field generation unit configured to generate the magnetic field; a movement mechanism configured to move the magnetic field generation unit in a vertical direction; a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the magnetic field generation unit in a vertical plane including a magnetization direction of the magnetic field generation unit; an input unit configured to input first operation information for changing posture of a capsule medical device; and a control unit configured to: cause the rotation mechanism to rotate the magnetic field generation unit to change the posture of the capsule medical device based on the first operation information; and control the movement mechanism to change a distance between the magnetic field generation unit and the capsule medical device to correct a magnetic attracting force in a vertical direction of the capsule medical device.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope system includes: a capsule endoscope configured to be introduced into a subject and having a magnetic field response unit configured to respond to a magnetic field and having an imaging unit configured to image an object; a magnetic field generating unit configured to generate the magnetic field to guide the capsule endoscope; an input unit configured to input commands for changing at least one of a position and a posture of the capsule endoscope; a setting unit configured to set a reference distance between the imaging unit and the object; a detection unit configured to detect a distance between the object and the imaging unit; and a magnetic field controller configured to control the magnetic field generating unit to generate the magnetic field based on the distance and the commands while a difference between the distance and the reference distance is maintained within a certain range.

Abstract: A position detection system includes: a capsule medical device configured to generate a position-detecting magnetic field; a plurality of detection coils arranged outside a subject; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to correct a magnetic field component caused by a first magnetic field generation material with respect to each of measurement values of detection signals output from the detection coils, the first magnetic field generation material being arranged inside a space that the position-detecting magnetic field generated by the capsule medical device present inside a detection target region is reachable, the detection target region being a region in which a position of the capsule medical device is detectable, the first magnetic field generation material being configured to generate a magnetic field due to action of the position-detecting magnetic field.

Abstract: An antenna holder includes: an antenna attachment portion attached with a plurality of receiving antennas configured to receive wireless signals transmitted from a medical device introduced into a subject; and a fitting portion where the antenna attachment portion is detachably attached and that is fitted on the subject. The antenna attachment portion includes: a plurality of antenna fixing portions where at least one of positions of the plurality of receiving antennas is fixed; an interlinking portion configured to variably interlink relative positions of the plurality of antenna fixing portions; and a first attachment portion attached to the fitting portion. The fitting portion includes: a second attachment portion where the first attachment portion is detachably attached, the second attachment portion being configured to determine positions of the plurality of antenna fixing portions upon fitting of the plurality of antenna fixing portions on the subject, according to build of the subject.

Abstract: A guiding device is configured to guide a capsule medical device within a subject by means of a magnetic field. The guiding device includes a magnetic field generating unit configured to generate the magnetic field to define a specific position where the capsule medical device is restrained on an arbitrary horizontal plane, a position detecting unit configured to detect a position of the capsule medical device in the subject to output positional information, and a control unit configured to: compare a distance between the specific position and the capsule medical device with a first threshold value based on the positional information; and control the magnetic field generating unit to change distribution of the magnetic field relative to the capsule medical device so as to bring the specific position close to a position of the capsule medical device when the distance is determined to be greater than the first threshold value.

Abstract: A capsule medical device guidance system includes: an imaging unit arranged inside a capsule medical device; a guidance unit configured to guide the capsule medical device inside a subject; a display unit including a screen is displayed; a first operation input unit configured to input first instruction information for changing at least one of a position and a posture of the capsule medical device; a second operation input unit configured to input second instruction information for rotating within the screen, the image displayed on the screen, around a center of the image; a guidance controller configured to control the guidance unit so as to change at least one of the position and the posture of the capsule medical device, based on the first instruction information; and a display controller configured to control a direction of the image displayed on the screen based on the second instruction information.

Abstract: A guidance apparatus includes: a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on a magnet; a magnetic field shielding material configured to shield the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; an operation input device configured to receive an input of at least one of a target position and a target posture for guiding a position and a posture of a capsule medical apparatus; and a controller configured to control the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field that has been corrected to offset or reduce a deviation amount of the position or the posture of the capsule medical apparatus with respect to the target position or the target posture, caused by distortion, due to the magnetic field shielding material, of a magnetic field for guiding the capsule medical apparatus to at least one of the target position and the target posture.

Abstract: A position detection system includes: a capsule medical device configured to generate a position-detecting magnetic field; a plurality of detection coils arranged outside a subject; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to correct a magnetic field component caused by a first magnetic field generation material with respect to each of measurement values of detection signals output from the detection coils, the first magnetic field generation material being arranged inside a space that the position-detecting magnetic field generated by the capsule medical device present inside a detection target region is reachable, the detection target region being a region in which a position of the capsule medical device is detectable, the first magnetic field generation material being configured to generate a magnetic field due to action of the position-detecting magnetic field.

Abstract: A capsule medical device guidance system includes: a capsule medical device including a permanent magnet and configured to be introduced into a subject; a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field to be applied to the capsule medical device; an operation input device configured to input operation information; and a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: control the magnetic field generator, based on the operation information input from the operation input device, to change the magnetic field to change at least one of the position and the posture of the capsule medical device; obtain control information for the magnetic field generator in a state where forces acting on the capsule medical device are balanced before starting or when starting operation on the operation input device; and control the magnetic field generator by using the control information after the operation is finished.

Abstract: A guidance device includes: a magnetic field generation unit configured to generate the magnetic field; a movement mechanism configured to move the magnetic field generation unit in a vertical direction; a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the magnetic field generation unit in a vertical plane including a magnetization direction of the magnetic field generation unit; an input unit configured to input first operation information for changing posture of a capsule medical device; and a control unit configured to: cause the rotation mechanism to rotate the magnetic field generation unit to change the posture of the capsule medical device based on the first operation information; and control the movement mechanism to change a distance between the magnetic field generation unit and the capsule medical device to correct a magnetic attracting force in a vertical direction of the capsule medical device.

Abstract: A guidance device includes a processor and a generator for generating a magnetic field to be applied to a magnet in a capsule. The processor: determines whether the capsule is in contact with a boundary of liquid in a subject; and switches between a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, the first mode causing the generator to generate the magnetic field for shifting from a contact state in which the capsule is in contact with the boundary to a non-contact state in which the capsule is not in contact with the boundary, the second mode causing the generator to generate the magnetic field for keeping the capsule floating in the liquid, the third mode causing the generator to change the magnetic field to shift from the contact state to the non-contact state and acquiring a control condition for the generator when shifting to the non-contact state.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope system includes: a capsule endoscope configured to be introduced into a subject and having a magnetic field response unit configured to respond to a magnetic field and having an imaging unit configured to image an object; a magnetic field generating unit configured to generate the magnetic field to guide the capsule endoscope; an input unit configured to input commands for changing at least one of a position and a posture of the capsule endoscope; a setting unit configured to set a reference distance between the imaging unit and the object; a detection unit configured to detect a distance between the object and the imaging unit; and a magnetic field controller configured to control the magnetic field generating unit to generate the magnetic field based on the distance and the commands while a difference between the distance and the reference distance is maintained within a certain range.

Abstract: The specific gravity of a capsule-type endoscope according to the invention is set to be lower than that of liquid in an organ, so that the capsule-type endoscope is floated on a liquid surface of the liquid. A center of gravity of the capsule-type endoscope is set to a position deviated from a center of a casing, so that the casing is maintained in a specific floating position while being floated on the liquid surface. A boundary between the casing and the liquid surface is formed within a projection plane, which is obtained by projecting the casing in the specific floating position perpendicularly to the liquid surface, at a position excluding an outer periphery of the projection plane Ka.

Abstract: A capsule medical device guidance system includes: an imaging unit arranged inside a capsule medical device; a guidance unit configured to guide the capsule medical device inside a subject; a display unit including a screen is displayed; a first operation input unit configured to input first instruction information for changing at least one of a position and a posture of the capsule medical device; a second operation input unit configured to input second instruction information for rotating within the screen, the image displayed on the screen, around a center of the image; a guidance controller configured to control the guidance unit so as to change at least one of the position and the posture of the capsule medical device, based on the first instruction information; and a display controller configured to control a direction of the image displayed on the screen based on the second instruction information.

Abstract: A capsule medical device guide system includes: a guide unit configured to guide a capsule medical device by a magnetic field; a position detecting unit configured to detect positional information of the capsule medical device; a display unit configured to display information relating to the capsule medical device within a subject; a scale displayed on the display unit and representing a position of the capsule medical device within the subject; a mark representing, on the scale, an area where the magnetic field is in capable of guiding the capsule medical device; a first indicator representing, on the scale, a boundary position of a range in the area; a second indicator representing, on the scale, a current position of the capsule medical device; and a control unit configured to control positions of the first and second indicators on the scale based on the positional information.