Abstract: An imaging phantom according to the present invention includes a main body having an optical characteristic simulating an optical characteristic of biological tissue and a structure (3) installed in the main body, the structure having a fractal structure simulating a tissue structure having a fractal nature present in the biological tissue.

Abstract: The invention relates to an internal body observation device which includes an ordinary observation light source, an ordinary observation irradiation optical system, a special observation light source, a special observation irradiation optical system, an observation optical system for transmitting the light from an observation target, a detection means configured to detect the light transmitted from the observation optical system as a detection signal, and a processing unit for separating the detection signal in the respective light sources and making the detection signal into images, wherein the light from any one of the ordinary observation light source and the special observation light source is modulated, and the modulated light can be radiated to the observation target together with the light from the other light source, and the detection signal detected by the detection means is separated by the processing unit based on the frequency of the modulation.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope with a unit to be inserted into a subject and captures an inside image of the subject by an imaging unit provided in the unit to generate an image signal; an optical apparatus including a measurement probe to be inserted into the subject through the unit; an endoscope unit that switches between observation light of a plurality of wavelengths and outputs the observation light to observe a target object from the unit; a probe unit that outputs measurement light to measure characteristics of the target object via the measurement probe; a light unit that receives return light via the measurement probe, the return light caused by reflection and/or scattering of the measurement light on the target object; and a switching unit that switches a wavelength band of the measurement light to a different wavelength band from the observation light outputted by the endoscope unit.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus that measures an optical property of a scattering medium includes a light source that supplies illumination light having at least one spectral component, an illumination fiber for guiding the light supplied by the light source and emitting the light to the scattering medium, a detection fiber for receiving returned light from the scattering medium at a tip thereof and guiding the returned light toward a base end thereof, a detecting unit that detects light output from the base end of the detection fiber, a measuring unit that measures a property of the scattering medium based on a detection result obtained by the detecting unit, and a switching unit that switches between total areas of emission regions, in which light is emitted, at an end face of the illumination fiber.

Abstract: There is provided an inside observation apparatus of an endoscope and the like which can perform an inside observation for irradiating an illumination light to a minute area of a surface of an object (for example, a living tissue) having a light scattering property and detecting a back-scattered light of the illumination light, can increase a detected light amount by a simply and low cost configuration by making an area of a detection region larger than an illumination region, and can reduce a time necessary to detect an body (for example, a blood vessel) to be observed and detect a region deeper than a conventional region.

Abstract: An optical measurement device includes: a measurement light source unit that emits measurement light; measurement probe including an illumination fiber configured to radiate the measurement light to a living tissue, and a light-receiving fiber configured to receive return light of the measurement light reflected and/or scattered from the living tissue; a detection unit that detects the return light; an illumination control unit that causes the measurement light source unit to execute alternately emission and stoppage of the measurement light during the measurement and to emit the measurement light such that the emission time is longer than the stoppage time; and a computation unit that removes, from an intensity of return light of the measurement light detected by the detection unit, a detected intensity of return light of the observation light radiated by an endoscope and reflected from the living tissue.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus that measures a property of a scatterer, including: a light source that supplies illumination light having at least one spectral component; an illumination fiber that propagates, to a distal end thereof, light supplied from a proximal end thereof by the light source and illuminates light onto the scatterer from the distal end; first and second light detection fibers, each outputting, from a proximal end thereof, returned light from the scatterer, the returned light entering from a distal end thereof, the first and second light detection fibers having distal end positions different from each other in a longitudinal direction; a detection unit that detects light output from the proximal ends of the first and second light detection fibers; and a measurement unit that measures a property of the scatterer based on a result of the detection by the detection unit.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus includes: a recording unit that records therein a value of a ratio of a first detection intensity to a second detection intensity, the first detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when a first medium having a refractive index that is the same as that of a specimen is irradiated with illumination light by a measurement probe, and the second detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when a second medium is irradiated with the illumination light by the measurement probe; and a calculation unit that calculates, from a product of a third detection intensity and the value of the ratio, a background intensity of background light to be used in correcting the returned light from the specimen, the third detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when the second medium is irradiated with the illumination light.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope with a unit to be inserted into a subject and captures an inside image of the subject by an imaging unit provided in the unit to generate an image signal; an optical apparatus including a measurement probe to be inserted into the subject through the unit; an endoscope unit that switches between observation light of a plurality of wavelengths and outputs the observation light to observe a target object from the unit; a probe unit that outputs measurement light to measure characteristics of the target object via the measurement probe; a light unit that receives return light via the measurement probe, the return light caused by reflection and/or scattering of the measurement light on the target object; and a switching unit that switches a wavelength band of the measurement light to a different wavelength band from the observation light outputted by the endoscope unit.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus includes a connector where a base end portion of a measurement probe introduced into a subject is connected, a light source unit that emits illumination light irradiated from a leading end of the measurement probe, an optical measurement unit that measures reflection light and/or scattering light of the illumination light incident through the measurement probe, a first optical path that transmits the illumination light emitted by the light source unit to the optical measurement unit, a second optical path that transmits, to the measurement probe, the illumination light emitted by the light source unit and transmits, to the optical measurement unit, reflection light and/or scattering light of the illumination light incident through the measurement probe, and an optical path switching unit that switches an optical path for transmitting the illumination light into the first optical path or the second optical path.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus that measures a property of a scatterer, including: a light source that supplies illumination light having at least one spectral component; an illumination fiber that propagates, to a distal end thereof, light supplied from a proximal end thereof by the light source and illuminates light onto the scatterer from the distal end; first and second light detection fibers, each outputting, from a proximal end thereof, returned light from the scatterer, the returned light entering from a distal end thereof, the first and second light detection fibers having distal end positions different from each other in a longitudinal direction; a detection unit that detects light output from the proximal ends of the first and second light detection fibers; and a measurement unit that measures a property of the scatterer based on a result of the detection by the detection unit.

Abstract: Provided is a fluorescence endoscope system for observing fluorescence from a fluorochrome attached to or absorbed in biological tissue, including an excitation light source that emits excitation light that excites the fluorochrome; an image-acquisition section that acquires fluorescence emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light from the excitation light source; an autofluorescence signal setting section that sets an autofluorescence signal intensity to be emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light; and an image compensation section that compensates fluorescence image information acquired by the image-acquisition section on the basis of the autofluorescence signal intensity set by the autofluorescence signal setting section.

Abstract: There is provided an inside observation apparatus of an endoscope and the like which can perform an inside observation for irradiating an illumination light to a minute area of a surface of an object (for example, a living tissue) having a light scattering property and detecting a back-scattered light of the illumination light, can increase a detected light amount by a simply and low cost configuration by making an area of a detection region larger than an illumination region, and can reduce a time necessary to detect an body (for example, a blood vessel) to be observed and detect a region deeper than a conventional region.

Abstract: The invention relates to an internal body observation device which includes an ordinary observation light source, an ordinary observation irradiation optical system, a special observation light source, a special observation irradiation optical system, an observation optical system for transmitting the light from an observation target, a detection means configured to detect the light transmitted from the observation optical system as a detection signal, and a processing unit for separating the detection signal in the respective light sources and making the detection signal into images, wherein the light from any one of the ordinary observation light source and the special observation light source is modulated, and the modulated light can be radiated to the observation target together with the light from the other light source, and the detection signal detected by the detection means is separated by the processing unit based on the frequency of the modulation.

Abstract: When using a spectral endoscope, the spectral characteristic can be precisely set to be suitable for use conditions.

Abstract: A site to be observed, such as a lesion, is easily observed by means of bright fluorescence images without increasing the output of a light source. Provided is a fluorescence imaging apparatus (1) including a wideband excitation portion (7) that radiates wideband excitation light capable of exciting a plurality of fluorescent substances contained in a subject (A); a narrow-band excitation portion (8) that radiates narrow-band excitation light capable of exciting at least one fluorescent substance among the fluorescent substances; an excitation-band switching unit (9) that performs switching between the wideband excitation portion (7) and the narrow-band excitation portion (8); and a fluorescence detector (15) having a detection wavelength band enabling detection of any kind of fluorescence from the subject (A) caused by the wideband excitation light and the narrow-band excitation light.

Abstract: Provided is a fluorescence endoscope system for observing fluorescence from a fluorochrome attached to or absorbed in biological tissue, including an excitation light source that emits excitation light that excites the fluorochrome; an image-acquisition section that acquires fluorescence emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light from the excitation light source; an autofluorescence signal setting section that sets an autofluorescence signal intensity to be emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light; and an image compensation section that compensates fluorescence image information acquired by the image-acquisition section on the basis of the autofluorescence signal intensity set by the autofluorescence signal setting section.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus and method are disclosed wherein first and second light beams, each having different center wavelengths, illuminate an object. A detector and a light receiver optical system are provided that receive back-scattered light from first and second illumination devices. A processor is provided that calculates a value corresponding to the size of particles that back-scatter light of the first and second light beams that are incident onto the object, with the calculated value being independent of the concentration of the particles. The first illumination device and the second illumination device are arranged in a specified manner so that a specified condition is satisfied.

Abstract: The invention provides a fluorescence endoscope system, a fluoroscopy apparatus, a fluoroscopy method, a fluorescence-information processing apparatus, and a fluorescence-information processing method which allow superior fluoroscopy by reducing the effect of autofluorescence.

Abstract: An optical system and optical apparatus prevent degradation of the S/N ratio due to switching between OCT and OCM observation modes and attain a high S/N ratio in both the observation modes. The optical system includes a light source 1 and a light-branching member 2 for branching light from the light source 1 into a reference light path and a signal light path. An objective 3 is placed in the signal light path. A light-scanning system 5 scans light in the signal light path with respect to a sample 4 placed in the signal light path. A beam diameter changing optical system 6 changes the beam diameter of light entering or exiting the light-scanning system 5. A light-combining member 7 combines together the reference light path and the signal light path. A light-detecting element 8 detects light combined by the light-combining member 7.