Abstract: An image-processing device (64) for a fluorescence observation device (1), such as a microscope or endoscope, emulates a first type (82) of fluorescence display device on a second type (63) of fluorescence display device (1). Proficient use of a fluorescence observation device (1) for surgery requires years of training and experience. As technology quickly advances, new types of fluorescence observation devices provide different and more information than older types of fluorescence observation devices, however adoption of newer types is slow because new training is needed. The present disclosure facilitates the switch from one type of fluorescence observation device to another by providing a type-emulation module (108), which allows the imaging result obtained from the first type of fluorescence observation device to be emulated on the second type. The type-emulation module (108) is applied to a digital fluorescence image (20) in which the fluorescence of a fluorescing fluorophore (8) is recorded.

Abstract: A method and system for computing an HDR image (38) from a digital color input image (4) of an object (30) containing a fluorescing fluorophore (22) acquires the input image using a color camera (2) having at least two different types (16, 17, 18) of color sensor (8), such as an R, G and B sensor. The input image may be recorded in a co-sensing wavelength band (64, 66, 68) wherein different spectral responsivities (58, 60, 62) of the different types of color sensor overlap. The input image comprises different digital monochrome input images (6), each recorded by a different type of color sensor. Light incident on the camera may be filtered using a band-pass filter (32) having a tunable pass band (34) which defines the co-sensing wavelength band and may be adjusted depending on spectral responsivities of the color sensors, the fluorophore, and characteristics of the monochrome input images.

Abstract: The invention is related to an interchangeable optical module (1) for a microscopic or an endoscopic apparatus, in particular for a fluorescence microscope, the module (1) including at least one optical element (2), such as a beam-splitter (3), at least one beam path (B1, B2), in which the at least one optical element (2) is arranged, and at least one optical filter (5) which is arranged in the at least one beam path (B1, B2). The invention is further related to a microscopic apparatus comprising at least one receptacle for receiving at least one interchangeable optical module (1) according to the invention. In order to allow different measurement techniques in one apparatus and to easily change the setup, it is intended according to the invention that the optical module (1) further includes at least one refractive element (7) which is arranged in the at least one beam path (B1, B2).

Abstract: The invention relates to an augmented reality surgical microscope (1) having a camera (2), preferably a multispectral or hyperspectral camera. The augmented reality surgical microscope (1) retrieves input image data (22) of an object (8) comprising in particular live tissue (10). The input image data (22) comprise visible-light image data (26) as well as fluorescent-light image data (24) of at least one fluorophore (14). The augmented reality surgical microscope (1) permits the automatic identification and marking in pseudo-color (86) of various types of vascular plexus structures (54a 54b, 54c) and/or of blood flow direction (56) depending on the fluorescent-light image data (24). A pre-operative three-dimensional atlas (36) and/or ultrasound image data (39) may be elastically matched to the visible-light image data (26). The augmented reality surgical microscope (1) allows different combinations of the various image data to be output simultaneously to different displays (75).

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical observation device (1) such as a microscope or endoscope. Further, the invention relates to a method for processing medical images. Input image data (52) are generated by a visible-light camera (28) and overlaid with auxiliary input data (58) such as fluorescent-light image data (65) generated from auxiliary input data (58) e.g. a fluorescence camera (32) or an ultrasound sensor (40, 42). From the auxiliary input data (58), subsequent sets (84) of pseudo-color image data (86) are generated by an image processor (80). The pseudo-color images (84) are merged with the input image data (52) to obtain output image data (94). A pseudo-color pattern field (88) comprising at least one of a temporally and/or spatially modulated pattern (87) is generated depending on the content of at least one of the image input data (52) and the auxiliary input data (58).

Abstract: The invention relates to a catadioptric medical imaging system (1), in particular a surgical microscope (2). During surgery, it may be necessary to gain more information about a surgical cavity (6), in particular the type of tissue (29) at the inside walls (4) of the surgical cavity (6). To solve this problem, the catadioptric medical imaging system (1) according to the invention comprises a camera device (8) and a convex catoptric mirror (20) adapted to be inserted into the surgical cavity (6). The catoptric mirror (20) is mounted on an arm (22) and spaced apart from the camera device (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical microscope (1) and a method for observing an object (3) in an observation area (5) during surgery and to a retrofit-kit (41) for a surgical microscope (1). Solutions of the art may have an inflexible observation direction, require preoperative planning, and may be expensive and bulky. The inventive surgical microscope (1) overcomes these disadvantages by at least one optical carrier (47) for variably deflecting an observation axis (33) of an optical observation assembly (7) into an optical viewing axis (53) directed towards the observation area (5), the optical carrier (47) comprises at least one optical beam deflector (49) and is arranged between the optical observation assembly (7) and the observation area (5).

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasound head (2), to a medical observation device (1) and to a method for observing live biological tissue (4). In order to provide the surgeon with a means of quickly gaining information on sub-surface structure in the surgical area during the operation, the method comprises the steps of contacting the tissue (4) with an ultrasound head (2) and recording ultrasound data (36) and optical image data (34) through the ultrasound head (2). The ultrasound head (2) comprises a sensor side (6) for contacting the tissue (4) and an ultrasound receiver (10). The sensor side (6) is at least sectionwise optically transparent so that light may enter the ultrasound head (2).

Abstract: Medical observation apparatus (1) and method for observing an object or patient (67) in an operation area (21). Solutions of the art (3, 5) do not allow displaying further information, are expensive, bulky and non-intuitive.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method and a medical observation device (1) such as a microscope (2) or endoscope. The device and method are used for displaying output image data (54) of soft biological tissue (12). In image-guided surgery, pre-operative three-dimensional image data (6) of the soft biological tissue (12) are elastically matched to interoperative image data (14) which are acquired during surgery. By displaying the elastically matched pre-operative three-dimensional image data (6) together with the interoperative image data (14), the surgeon may be made aware of the consistence of the soft biological tissue (12) below the visible surface layer. Existing systems for image-guided surgery need to be manually readjusted if surgery is done on soft biological tissue (12), which may deform and shift.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arm (1) adapted to be attached to a microscope (10), in particular a surgical microscope (10), wherein the arm (1) comprises at a distal end (21) a light beam deflection member (3) or a camera. An inventive microscope (10) comprises an arm (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, in particular a fluorescence microscopy or endoscope imaging method for intensity normalization, a non-transient computer readable storage medium (101) and a controller (51) for an endoscope (3) or microscope device (5). In the prior art, common observation devices (1) as surgical microscopes, endoscopes (3) or microscopes (5) have the disadvantage that it is ambiguous whether a detected intensity (97) is due to fluorophore (29) concentration or due to optics setting parameters (73). The inventive method overcomes said disadvantages by automatically adjusting at least one exposure control parameter (83) if at least one optics setting parameter (73) is changed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) and method for automatically determining the blood flow direction (42) in a blood vessel (14) using the fluorescence light from a fluorophore (16). Blood flow direction (42) is determined by first identifying a blood vessel structure (38) in an input frame (6) from a camera assembly (2) using a pattern recognition module (26). Blood flow direction (42) is determined from the spatial gradient (dI/dx) of the fluorescence intensity (I) along the identified blood vessel structure (38) and the temporal gradient (dI/dt). An output frame (48) is displayed on a display (36) with time-varying marker data (52) overlaid on the identified blood vessels structure (38) and representative of the blood flow direction (42).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for observing an object (33) using a medical observation apparatus (1), such as a microscope (3), a non-transient computer readable storage medium (95) and a medical observation apparatus (1). Solutions of the art are expensive, bulky and prevents further usage of a microscope (3) is e.g. a robotic arm has a malfunction. The inventive method and medical observation apparatus (1) solves those problems by directing an optical assembly (7) to an object (33) located in a field of view (31), and by keeping the object (33) in focus when the optical assembly (7) is manually shifted, essentially perpendicularly to a viewing axis (17) of the optical assembly (7). The inventive apparatus (1) comprises an optical assembly (7) providing an optical viewing axis (17) and a lens adjustment assembly (29) which is configured to direct the optical assembly (7) to the object (33) in dependence on position data (65).

Abstract: An imaging device includes (a) a light source device arranged to illuminate a sample under investigation with illumination light, (b) a detector device arranged to collect a plurality of images including at least one sample light image backscattered by the sample, and at least one marker light image originating from at least one marker substance in the sample, and (c) a processor device adapted to process the at least one sample light image.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for tracking a movable target (3), in particular tissue (5), the apparatus (1) comprising at least one applicator (7) for marking the target (3) with at least one type of markers (11), and at least one tracking system (9) which is adapted for monitoring at least the at least one type of markers (11). In order to provide an apparatus and a method for tracking a movable target (3), in particular tissue (5) which improve the reliability of the target tracking and which reduce the risk of damaging a target, it is intended according to the invention that the at least one applicator (7) is adapted for generating a randomly distributed pattern (13) of markers (11) on the target (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system (10) for a fluorescence microscope (3) for observation of an object (17) containing at least one fluorophore (19), to a microscope (1) and to a microscope method for illumination of an object (17) comprising at least one fluorophore (19). Solutions of the art have the disadvantage that orientation within an object (17) is difficult and visibility of fluorescing regions of the object (17) is non satisfying.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, an image processor (26) and a medical observation device (1), such as a microscope or endoscope, for observing an object (4) containing a bolus of at least one fluorophore (12). The object (4) is preferably live tissue comprising several types (16, 18, 20) of tissue. According to the method, a set (34) of component signals (36) is provided. Each component signal (36) represents a fluorescence intensity development of the fluorophore (12) over time in a different type of tissue. A time series (8) of input frames (10) is accessed, one input frame (10) after the other. The input frames (10) represent electronically coded still images of the object (4) at subsequent time. Each input frame (10) contains at least one observation area (22) comprising at least one pixel (23).

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination filter (36, 44) for an illumination filter system (2) for medical imaging, in particular multispectral fluorescence imaging, as performed e.g. in a microscope (1) or endoscope, in particular a multispectral fluorescence microscope. The present invention provides an illumination filter for medical imaging, in particular a multispectral fluorescence imaging, that is capable of capturing simultaneously more than one fluorescence signal, and allow a homogeneous illumination for obtaining different images from the object illuminated by comprising a spatial filter pattern (43) masking a defined filtering fraction of a first illumination path (47) on the filter and masking a defined filtering fraction of a second illumination path (48, 49, 50) on the filter, wherein the filtering fraction of the first and the second illumination paths (47, 48, 49, 50) are different.

Abstract: The invention relates to an iris device (1) for optical imaging systems (71), comprising an aperture arrangement (5) and to a medical imaging system (72) comprising a sensor (15), in particular a camera (15a). Conventional iris devices (1) known from the art unavoidably suffer a necessary trade-off between the depth of field and the amount of light transmitted through the optical system (71), i.e. in particular the amount of light incident on the sensor (15). This disadvantage results from the fact that iris devices (Wo one) of the art transmit or reject light in the same way for all wavelengths (43), i.e. show a spectrally flat transmission property.