Abstract: An image pick-up unit inserted in the body picks up an image of the body, and transmits by radio the image to an extra-corporeal unit which is arranged outside the body. The image pick-up unit includes an image pick-up portion capturing an image, a data transmitting portion for transmitting the image obtained by the image pick-up portion to the extra-corporeal unit at a plurality of transmitting ratios, a characteristic amount detecting portion for detecting a predetermined amount of characteristics based on the image, and a determining portion for determining a valid image based on an output from the characteristic amount detecting portion. The data transmitting portion controls the data transmitting ratio in accordance with the determining result of the determining portion.

Abstract: An endoscope 2 includes an insertion body 3 equipped with a potentiometer 26 for detecting a bending state of a bending portion 3B which is allowed to be bent and inserted into a subject and an electric connector 18c for outputting an electric signal as a detection result of the potentiometer 26, and a motor unit 4 detachable with respect to the insertion body 3 via an attachment/detachment portion 14, which is equipped with an electric motor 23 for bending the bending portion 3B.

Abstract: A surgical treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes an outer sheath, extending from a base portion subject to an operator's hand to the tip subject to insertion into a body cavity, that is provided with a working channel through which a treatment instrument can be passed; an image pickup device disposed at the tip portion of the outer sheath; and pivotable forceps disposed at the tip portion of the outer sheath, supported on a supporting section protruding in the axial direction via a joint being bent away from the working channel, and having a pair of forceps members arranged so as to be freely opened/closed, wherein the image pickup device is disposed at a position between the axis line of the supporting section and the axis line of the working channel and offset from an imaginary line connecting the two axis lines.

Abstract: Spectral characteristics are controlled with high accuracy using a variable-spectrum device provided at the tip of a long insertion portion of an endoscope, thereby acquiring a sharp observation image. An endoscope system, at least a portion of which is to be inserted into the body cavity of a living organism and which acquires an image of an observation target in the body cavity, includes, at a leading end of the portion inserted into the body cavity, a variable-spectrum device whose spectral characteristics are changed by changing a gap between two facing optical elements that are separated by the gap; an actuator that changes the gap between the two optical elements in accordance with an input driving signal; a sensor that detects the gap between the two optical elements; and an electrical circuit to which the output of the sensor is input, which includes an active device, and which outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the output of the sensor.

Abstract: A method for viewing a portion of a patient's anatomy that comprises placing a scanner assembly including an oscillating reflector in the anatomy, securing the scanner assembly to an anatomical structure, scanning the anatomy with the scanner assembly secured to the anatomical structure, collecting radiation returned from the scanned anatomy, and generating a displayable image of the anatomy.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a camera for picking up an image inside a body cavity, a camera side magnet connected to the camera and a fixing magnet, for fixing the camera inside the body cavity by holding an abdominal wall from different surfaces of the abdominal wall, and a second CCU for controlling the camera.

Abstract: An in vivo imaging device comprises a viewing window, an illumination unit, a lens holder and a light guide. The light guide may be positioned to create uniformly dispersed illumination and to eliminate backscatter from the viewing window. The light guide may guide light from the illumination unit to a desired position within the in vivo device. In one embodiment, the light guide may be embedded into the lens holder.

Abstract: A body-insertable apparatus that is used in a state of being introduced in a body of a subject, and that performs a predetermined function inside the body of the subject includes an imaging circuit 27, a battery 40 that supplies with energy to be used to drive the imaging circuit 27, a power switch 33 that switches energy supply to the imaging circuit 27 from the battery 40, a switch control circuit 32 that performs a switching control of the power switch 33, and a signal detecting circuit 31 that detects a magnet and that transmits, to the switch control circuit, a control signal to cause the power switch 33 to toggle the switching control based on this detection state, and is possible to be turned on and off a main switch at a desirable timing before introduction into the body of the subject, thereby achieving energy saving in which a life of a battery is saved, and suppressing unnecessary radio wave radiation.

Abstract: An endoscope insertion shape detecting device of the present invention comprises an insertion shape detection portion for detecting an insertion shape of an endoscope insertion portion, an insertion shape image generation portion for generating an insertion shape figure of the endoscope insertion portion according to the insertion shape, a marking processing portion for carrying out a control to add a mark to the insertion shape figure for output as a control for the insertion shape image generation portion in a first observation for the subject, a memory portion for storing subject information, the insertion shape figure, and information on a position to which the mark is added in the insertion shape figure, and a position detection information output portion for outputting position detection information when a distal end portion of the insertion shape figure overlaps the mark position information in second observation made for the same subject.

Abstract: The endoscope light source device includes a semiconductor light source, optical fibers that are inserted into an endoscope, guide first light beams from the semiconductor light source, and are arranged in plural rows in at least an angle portion of the endoscope, an optical coupling circuit that is arranged at a distal end side of the endoscope with respect to the angle portion, and couples the first light beams guided by the optical fibers arranged in the plural rows to obtain a coupled light beam and a wavelength conversion part that is arranged at a distal end side of an endoscope insertion section in the optical coupling circuit, and converts a part or all of the coupled light beam from the optical coupling circuit into a converted light beam having a given wavelength by a phosphor.

Abstract: A device for displaying assistance information for surgical operation 1 includes an endoscope 11, a CT device 30, an image pickup device 20, a surface shape calculating unit 43, a coordinate axis matching unit 44 that matches the shape of the patient surface by the CT device 30 and the shape of the patient surface calculated from the image, an endoscope optical axis calculating unit 45 that calculates a ray indicative of an optical axis in the image pickup direction of the endoscope 11, an intersection calculating unit 46 that calculates an intersection of the ray and the plane constituting the internal parts of the patient 60, and an outputting unit 47 that outputs the information indicative of the intersection after overlapping the information on the information indicative of the shape of the patient 60.

Abstract: An endoscopic imaging device for endoscopy in a body vessel is disclosed. The device comprises an annular illumination tube comprising an annular illumination fiber for illuminating a body vessel during endoscopy. The device further includes a first imaging tube comprising a first imaging fiber for gross examination and navigation through the body vessel. The first imaging fiber is disposed within the annular illumination tube. The device further comprises a second imaging tube comprising a second imaging fiber for cellular imaging. The second illumination fiber is disposed adjacent the first imaging tube and within the annular illumination tube.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a capsular endoscope having at least an image pickup optical system, an illumination unit, an image pickup portion, and a circuit board comprises a marker shooting unit that indwells a marker member in a body cavity. Consequently, a predetermined marker is indwelled in a desired region such as a lesion discovered using the capsular endoscope so that the region can be readily rediscovered during reexamination.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus has a distal part, an imaging unit, a light emitting unit, and a transmitting unit. The imaging unit converts light applied to the distal part, into an electrical signal. The light emitting unit converts the electrical signal supplied from the imaging unit, into an optical signal. The transmitting unit, which is attached to the distal part, guides the optical signal supplied from the light emitting unit. The electrical signal output from the imaging unit is converted into an optical signal. This optical signal is transmitted from the distal part through the transmitting unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscopic visioning system and related method for both forward and backward viewing of a body lumen. According to an embodiment, the system includes an endoscope, a vision head including a light source and a vision chip on both a proximal and a distal side of the vision head, and an extension arm for moving the vision head away from and back toward the endoscope. Alternatively, the light source and vision chip may be contained in a distal end of the endoscope. In such an alternative embodiment, the vision head is a parabolic mirror mounted on the extension arm for reflecting images, for example, from behind the distal end of the endoscope to the vision chip in the distal end of the endoscope to permit, for example, a retrograde view of the surgical site entrance.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes: a first illumination window through which a first illumination light from a first light source is irradiated to a subject; a second illumination window at different position than the first illumination window, through which a second illumination light from a second light source is irradiated to the subject; an electronic image pickup section which picks up subject images; an image creation section which generates observation images based on image pickup signals obtained by the electronic image pickup section; a light adjustment section which synchronously adjusts respective amounts of illumination lights irradiated from the first and second illumination windows; and a control unit which controls the light adjustment section or image creation section to maintain color tone of the observation image to a predetermined one according to increase/decrease of the illumination light amount from the first illumination window.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system includes an electronic endoscope having a CMOS image sensor on the tip of an insertion section, a light source device for illuminating the interior of a patient's body, and a processing device for reading out image signals from the CMOS image sensor. The electronic endoscope system can operate with a standard imaging mode and a special imaging mode. When the time taken to read out the image signals from all the pixels in the standard mode is defined as T, the light source device in the special imaging mode emits illumination light in every first half period T/2 while switching a wavelength of the illumination light between two different wavebands. In every second half period T/2, the processing device reads out the image signals from the half of the pixels.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope (2) of the type including: a distal end (14) including an illumination element and an electronic image acquisition member; a probe (12), one of the ends of which is connected to the distal end; and control elements (10) connected to the other end of the probe, characterized in that the probe includes a plastically malleable portion (20) suitable for preserving, under the effect of its own weight when the endoscope is in use, the shape which has been conferred on it by an operator, the malleable portion carrying the distal end of the endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope processor comprising a touch-panel input unit, a mechanical switch unit, and a controller, is provided. The endoscope processor controls an endoscope system. The touch-panel input unit comprises a touch-panel monitor. A command to carry out a function of the endoscope system is input via a command-input display displayed on the touch-panel monitor. The mechanical switch unit is manipulated to carry out at least one function among a light-switching function, a pump-switching function, and a white-balance-start switching function. The controller carries out a function corresponding to the command input via the touch-panel input unit or the mechanical switch unit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an endoscope that comprises a telescope, an imaging means, an image sensor for converting optical images produced by the imaging means to electrical signals, and a circuit board for receiving and outputting the electrical signals, the imaging means, image sensor and circuit board being located in the telescope. In some embodiments, the endoscope includes a connector that electrically connects the image sensor and the circuit board to form a first assembly.