Abstract: The present invention is a virtual-slide specimen image acquisition apparatus that captures images by dividing a specimen into a plurality of sections, having a conveying device in which a plurality of specimens can be arranged and that conveys the plurality of the arranged specimens in a first direction by a distance corresponding to the length of a side along the first direction in one of the divided sections and at first time intervals and an image capturing device that has an image capturing portion for capturing images of the specimens magnified at a predetermined magnification and that scans the specimens conveyed to a predetermined position in a second direction, by a predetermined length at second time intervals, such that the image capturing portion captures images of all of the sections that are positioned identically in the first direction and that are positioned differently in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A microscope for virtual-slide creating system has a stage for holding the specimen, a transmitted-light illumination optical system for illuminating the specimen with transmitted light, an objective, a tube lens and an image capture unit. The objective is configured as a dry system of infinity-corrected type with an object-side numerical aperture of 0.8 or greater and a focal length for d-line rays in a range from 8 to 20 mm. The tube lens has a focal length in a range from 160 to 280 mm. The image capture surface of the image capture unit has a long side of 12 mm or longer and a pixel size (?m) satisfying the following condition: a(?m)?(0.61×0.59(?/m))/NA? where a is the pixel size, and NA? is an image-side numerical aperture.

Abstract: The present invention prevents the leakage of anesthetic gas, and enables in vivo observation of a specimen such as small laboratory animals over a long period of time. An in-vivo examination apparatus (1) comprises: a stage (2) for mounting a specimen (A) such as a laboratory animal; an anesthetizing chamber (3) which is disposed on the stage (2) for housing the specimen (A); and an anesthetic gas supply device (4) for supplying anesthetic gas (G) into the anesthetizing chamber (3); wherein a transparent window (3c) is provided on at least a part of the anesthetizing chamber (3).

Abstract: The invention provides an examination apparatus including an objective optical system for positioning a focal point inside a specimen mounted on a stage; an image-acquisition apparatus for detecting light emitted in different optical-axis directions from the vicinity of the focal point inside the specimen and collected by the objective optical system to acquire a plurality of pieces of image information; and a three-dimensional image forming unit for forming a three-dimensional image of a light-emitting site in the vicinity of the focal point based on the plurality of pieces of image information acquired by the image-acquiring apparatus.

Abstract: When carrying out in vivo examination of a living organism, the behavior in the interior thereof is continuously observed with clear images.

Abstract: A microscope examination apparatus is provided that includes a light source for emitting excitation light or illumination light to a specimen placed on a stage; an objective lens opposing the stage and capable of focusing fluorescence or reflected light from the specimen; an image-forming lens for forming an image of the specimen obtained by the objective lens; and an image-capturing unit for capturing the image of the specimen forming by the image-forming lens, wherein a plurality of the objective lenses having different magnifying powers is provided, and an objective-lens switching mechanism for switching among the objective lenses is provided, and wherein a plurality of the image-forming lenses having different magnifying powers is provided, and an image-forming-lens switching mechanism for switching among the image-forming lenses is provided.

Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.

Abstract: When carrying out in vivo examination of a living organism, the behavior in the interior thereof is continuously observed with clear images.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope including: a light source; a lens for altering the cross-sectional shape aspect ratio of a beam of light emitted from the light source; at least one lens for converging beams of light of different cross-sectional shape aspect ratio to create a linear light; a first light modulation member able to impart shade to the converged linear light; a lens that can form the light to which the shade has been imparted as a parallel light; a scanning member that can alter the angle of illumination; a lens for focusing the light to which the shade has been imparted; an objective lens for projecting the light to which the shading has been imparted to a sample body; and a lens for imaging the reflected light from the sample body or the light generated by the sample body on to a sensor.

Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.

Abstract: A microscope system includes a light source and an objective unit. The objective unit includes an objective optical system, including a small-diameter distal optical system arranged at an end brought near to or into contact with a specimen, for focusing light from the light source onto the specimen; a threaded mount at a coupling position; and an outer cylinder enclosing the small-diameter distal optical system. The microscope system further includes an imaging optical system for forming an image of light from the specimen through the objective optical system and a microscope main body for housing the imaging optical system. The objective unit is detachable from and attachable to the microscope main body with the threaded mount. Conditional expression Df/Da?0.3 is satisfied, where Df represents the outer diameter of the outer cylinder and Da represents the outer diameter of the threaded mount.

Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.

Abstract: Even when the magnifying power is reduced, an image can be obtained at high resolution without significantly reducing the numerical aperture, and examination accuracy is improved.

Abstract: The invention reduces the loss of fluorescence intensity obtained from a specimen to acquire clear fluorescence images when irradiating the specimen with ultrashort-pulse laser light produced by a laser light source. The invention provides a laser-scanning examination apparatus including a laser light source for producing ultrashort-pulse laser light; a laser light source for producing continuous-wave laser light; a measurement head including an optical scanning unit for scanning the laser light on a specimen and an objective optical system; an imaging unit for detecting return light from the specimen in response to the ultrashort-pulse laser light; and an imaging unit for detecting return light from the specimen in response to the continuous-wave laser light. The laser light sources and one imaging unit are connected to the measurement head by an optical fiber, and the other imaging unit is connected to the measurement head by another optical fiber with a larger core diameter.

Abstract: The invention provides an examination apparatus including an objective optical system for positioning a focal point inside a specimen mounted on a stage; an image-acquisition apparatus for detecting light emitted in different optical-axis directions from the vicinity of the focal point inside the specimen and collected by the objective optical system to acquire a plurality of pieces of image information; and a three-dimensional image forming unit for forming a three-dimensional image of a light-emitting site in the vicinity of the focal point based on the plurality of pieces of image information acquired by the image-acquiring apparatus.

Abstract: An in-vivo examination apparatus in which the examination angle can be changed while keeping an examination site in focus to carry out accurate in-vivo examination is provided. The in-vivo examination apparatus includes a stage on which a living organism is mounted, a measurement head that irradiates the living organism on the stage with light emitted from a light source and detects light returning from the living organism, and a rotation mechanism that rotates the measurement head about a fixed point on the stage.

Abstract: The present invention provides an examination apparatus which includes a base; a stage on which a specimen is mounted, the stage being movable relative to the base; and a movable image acquisition apparatus for acquiring an image of the specimen, the movable image acquisition apparatus being fixed on the stage.

Abstract: An object is to easily and reliably reach an examination site. The present invention provides an examination method of carrying out in-vivo examination using an in-vivo examination apparatus capable of fluorescence examination and reflected-light examination and includes the steps of setting a reference position so as to set an examination site by carrying out reflected-light examination, switching from reflected-light examination to fluorescence examination, and moving from the reference position to the examination site.

Abstract: A laser-scanning fluoroscopy apparatus includes a laser light source of a plurality of wavelengths; a spectroscopic device for splitting laser beams according to wavelength; a focusing lens for focusing the split laser beams; a wavelength-selecting reflection device which includes a plurality of reflection sections disposed near the focal positions, spaced out at predetermined intervals in a split direction to reflect the laser beams with different wavelengths and a transmission section arranged adjacent to the reflection sections; a diffraction grating for combining the reflected laser beams; a scanning section for two-dimensionally scanning the combined laser beams; an objective optical system for focusing the scanned laser beams onto a tissue; and a photodetector for detecting fluorescence emitted from the tissue.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiphoton-excitation-type examination apparatus that efficiently generates a multiphoton-excitation effect, that makes the measurement head compact, and that can be easily adjusted when the measurement head is replaced. The multiphoton-excitation-type examination apparatus comprises a laser light source that oscillates ultrashort pulsed laser light; an optical fiber that transmits the ultrashort pulsed laser light from the laser light source; a support member; a measurement head supported on the support member so as to be movable upwards and downwards and at an angle, and having an optical system that irradiates a specimen with the ultrashort pulsed laser light transmitted by the optical fiber that measures fluorescence or reflected light coming from the specimen; and a dispersion-compensating member, in the measurement head, that compensates for group velocity dispersion of the ultrashort pulsed laser light irradiated onto the specimen.