Abstract: An image processing apparatus has an image data obtaining means configured to obtain image data acquired by photographing biological tissue, a score calculating means configured to calculate a score representing severity degree of lesion of the biological tissue photographed in an image represented by the image data for each pixel based on the image data, a reliability evaluation means configured to evaluate reliability of the score based on the image data, and a score reliability calculating means configured to calculate score reliability which represents a ratio of pixels of which scores having predetermined reliability to all the pixels of the image data.

Abstract: Provided is a correction data generation method that includes acquiring captured image data by imaging an indicator that is related to a predetermined illness; plotting a real imaging data point that corresponds to the acquired captured image data in a predetermined color space that is associated with the predetermined illness in accordance with a color component of the data point; calculating a correction value for correcting the values of pixels that make up a captured image captured by an electronic endoscope based on the distance between the data point and a predetermined target point in the predetermined color space; and storing the calculated correction value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a color image obtaining means configured obtain color image data representing a color image of biographic tissues, a lesion determining means configured to determine whether each pixel of the color image is of a lesion part based on the color image data, and a marking means configured to apply a mark indicating a position of the lesion part on the color image based on a result of determination, and the mark is configured such that the color image at a background of the mark can be seen.

Abstract: Provided is a correction data generation method that includes acquiring captured image data by imaging an indicator that is related to a predetermined illness; plotting a real imaging data point that corresponds to the acquired captured image data in a predetermined color space that is associated with the predetermined illness in accordance with a color component of the data point; calculating a correction value for correcting the values of pixels that make up a captured image captured by an electronic endoscope based on the distance between the data point and a predetermined target point in the predetermined color space; and storing the calculated correction value.

Abstract: An image processing includes multiple pieces of image data capturing biological tissues, a scene determining device configured to determine a photographic scene based on the color moving image data, a score calculating device calculating a score indicative of seriousness of lesion of the biological tissues captured in the image represented by the image data, based on the image data, and a marking device applying marks indicative of a distribution of the scores on the image. The marking device executes a detailed marking process to apply the marks indicating the distribution of the scores in detail, and a simple marking process to apply the marks indicating the distribution of the scores in a manner simpler than the detailed marking process. The marking means executes one of the detailed marking process and the simple marking process in accordance with the result of determination of the photographic scene.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a color image obtaining means configured obtain color image data representing a color image of biographic tissues, a lesion determining means configured to determine whether each pixel of the color image is of a lesion part based on the color image data, and a marking means configured to apply a mark indicating a position of the lesion part on the color image based on a result of determination, and the mark is configured such that the color image at a background of the mark can be seen.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has an image data obtaining means configured to obtain image data acquired by photographing biological tissue, a score calculating means configured to calculate a score representing severity degree of lesion of the biological tissue photographed in an image represented by the image data for each pixel based on the image data, a reliability evaluation means configured to evaluate reliability of the score based on the image data, and a score reliability calculating means configured to calculate score reliability which represents a ratio of pixels of which scores having predetermined reliability to all the pixels of the image data.

Abstract: A diagnosis supporting system acquires a reference image signal of a subject illuminated with visible light and a fluorescent image signal of the subject excited by irradiation with excitation light. The diagnosis supporting system calculates a difference between a brightness level of a pixel in the reference image signal and a brightness level of a pixel in the fluorescent image signal at the corresponding position for target pixels. An observation image signal is generated by converting the pixels in the reference image signal with differences larger than a predetermined value into red pixels. In the case a ratio of the red pixels in the observation image signal is higher than a predetermined level, more pixels become the target pixels to be processed than in the other case.

Abstract: A color chart for a color adjustment of a color printer and a color monitor attached to an endoscope, has a predetermined number of color cells. The color cells have the same form, and are arranged in one of a grid state and a linear state. Each of the color cells is formed by blending two colors from a group of three colors comprising red, green, and blue, according to a predetermined ratio, in an additive color process. The color cells show a gradation of color such that a color tone of each of the color cells changes continuously in one direction.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope system includes an image pickup device provided at a distal end of an insertion portion; an image signal processing device; a main light source; an auxiliary light source which emits less amount of light than the light emitted from the main light source; and a light guide member which guides illumination light emitted from one of the main light source and the auxiliary light source to the distal end of the insertion portion to thereby emit the illumination light from the distal end. When the auxiliary light source emits the illumination light instead of the main light source, the image signal processing device sets the gain of the signal output from the image pickup device to a value higher than the gain of the signal when the main light source emits the illumination light, in order to process the image signal.

Abstract: A diagnosis supporting system acquires a reference image signal of a subject illuminated with visible light and a fluorescent image signal of the subject excited by irradiation with excitation light. The diagnosis supporting system calculates a difference between a brightness level of a pixel in the reference image signal and a brightness level of a pixel in the fluorescent image signal at the corresponding position for target pixels. An observation image signal is generated by converting the pixels in the reference image signal with differences larger than a predetermined value into red pixels. In the case a ratio of the red pixels in the observation image signal is higher than a predetermined level, more pixels become the target pixels to be processed than in the other case.

Abstract: Disclosed is a diagnosis supporting system that acquires a reference image signal of a subject that is illuminated with visible light and a fluorescent image signal of the subject that is excited by irradiation with excitation light, calculates a difference between brightness level of a pixel in the reference image signal and brightness level of a pixel in the fluorescent image signal at the corresponding position for all of target pixels and generates an observation image signal by converting the pixels in the reference image signal whose differences are larger than a predetermined value into red pixels. In the case of high contrast, all of the pixels become target pixels to be processed. In the case of low contrast, the number of the target pixels is reduced to ¼ of all the pixels.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an image signal processor and external devices connectable to the image signal processor. The external devices include an image output device and a monitor. The image signal processor includes an external device identifier for identifying the external device connected to the image signal processor, a first processing unit, and a second processing unit. The first processing unit processes the image signals to be first processed image signals for generating a first subject image output by the image output device, based on output characteristics data of the identified image output device. The second processing unit processes the image signals to be second processed image signals, based on monitor characteristics data of the identified monitor. The monitor can display a second subject image whose subject is the same as the first subject image, based on the second processed image signals.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus has a moving-image displayer that reads image-pixel signals from an image sensor at predetermined time intervals to display a moving-image, a light-amount adjuster that adjusts an amount of light for illuminating a subject, and a still-image recorder that performs a series of actions for recording a still image. The still-image recorder is capable of reading the image-pixel signals at a still-image electronic shutter speed, which corresponds to a reading time interval shorter than the predetermined time interval. When the series of actions is started, the still-image recorder controls the light-amount adjuster such that the light-amount becomes a standard light-amount corresponding to the recording of the still image. Then, the still-image recorder performs a recording process in accordance with the still-image electronic shutter speed when the light-amount becomes the standard light-amount.

Abstract: An image printing system for an endoscope includes a printer, a print commander, a printer-information memory, a timer, and an alarm. The printer prints an image, and the print commander commands the printer to print the image. The printer-information memory stores printer-information, including time-information that represents a required-time-period for the printer to print the image on a substrate. The timer measures an elapsed time from when printing of the image starts. The alarm alerts that the printer can not print a new image if the elapsed time until when the print commander commands the printer to print the new image is shorter than the required-time-period.

Abstract: An image printing system for an endoscope includes a printer, a print commander, a printer-information memory, a timer, and an image data memory. The printer prints an image, and the print commander commands the printer to print the image. The printer-information memory stores printer-information, including time-information that represents a required-time-period for the printer to print an image on a substrate. The timer measures an elapsed time from when the printer starts printing the image. The image data memory stores image data of the image commanded by the print commander until the required-time-period elapses. If the elapsed time from when the printer starts printing the image until when the print commander commands the printer to print a new image is shorter than the required-time-period, the printer can print the new image based on image data of the new image stored in the image data memory.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a light source, an objective optical system, an optical system mover, a light amount detector, and a subject image generator. The light source emits illuminating light on a subject, and the reflected light of the illuminating light reflected on the subject, enters an objective optical system. The optical system mover moves the objective optical system in a direction of an optical axis of the objective optical system. The light amount detector detects the amount of the reflected light. The subject image generator generates image signals of the subject based on the reflected light. When an amount of the reflected light entering the objective optical system decreases, the optical system mover moves the objective optical system farther from the subject, and when an amount of the reflected light entering the objective optical system increases, the optical system mover moves the objective optical system closer to the subject, so that the objective optical system is focused on the subject.

Abstract: A light source apparatus for an endoscope including a main light source; a light guide member whose incident end face is opposed to the main light source and which guides light incident thereon to an emission end face thereof; an auxiliary light source which is activated to emit light when no light is emitted from the main light source and which is supported to move between a stand-by position in which the auxiliary light source is located out of a main light path between the main light source and the incident end face and an operative position in which the auxiliary light source is located in the main light path and is opposed to the incident end face when the main light source is inoperative; and an auxiliary light source emission control device for driving the auxiliary light source at a continuous emission mode to emit light of a predetermined intensity or at an intermittent emission mode to emit light of an intensity higher than the predetermined intensity.

Abstract: A light source device for an endoscope is provided. The light source device comprises a light source unit that supplies illumination light to an incident end face of a light guide member, which is laid inside an endoscope. The light source unit comprises a plurality of reflecting board members. Each reflecting board member has at least one light emitting diode. The plurality of reflecting board members are assembled into a concaved open polyhedron, so that the light emitted from the light emitting diodes are concentrated onto the incident end face of the light guide member.

Abstract: A color chart for a color adjustment of a color printer and a color monitor attached to an endoscope, has first-, second-, and third-color cell groups. The first-, second-, and third-color cell groups have respective first, second, and third predetermined numbers of color cells which have the same form, and which are linearly arranged in a first direction. The first-, second-, and third-color cell groups are arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.